


Unseen Emotions

by ToxicParalysis



Series: Unseen Emotions [1]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Reality, Band Fic, Blind Character, Child Abuse, Coming Out, Cutesy, Drama, Drama & Romance, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/F, First Kiss, First Time, Hospitals, M/M, Original Character(s), Psychological Trauma, Self-Discovery, Self-Harm, Slow Burn, Song Lyrics, Surgery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-07-01
Updated: 2020-06-13
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:48:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 208,648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24697825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ToxicParalysis/pseuds/ToxicParalysis
Summary: Riku and Sora were best friends growing up. Sora moved away, and Riku lost his eyesight in an accident immediately after. Years later Riku and his family move to a new city, and when Riku transfers to his new high-school he finds Sora again, along with some new friends and a certain red-headed, green-eyed guitarist.
Relationships: Axel/Riku (Kingdom Hearts), Cloud/Zack (Kingdom Hearts), Roxas/Sora (Kingdom Hearts)
Series: Unseen Emotions [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1785580
Comments: 3
Kudos: 16





	1. Alone

Riku ran after the bubbly brunette before him, hopping over a discarded jump rope and blitzball in the hallway as he made his way through his cramped house. The brunette ran out the open front door, laughing as he nearly tripped, then scampered around the bushes by the mailbox and down the neighborhood street. Riku felt a smile cross his lips; he wouldn't let him get there first this time! Straying from the pavement and through a nearby yard he skipped a street and caught up to the boy as they neared their destination. Riku was panting with effort to keep up with the other beside him, eyes glinting with competitive fire as the light shining off of the town's lake came into view past the next row of houses. With a burst of laughter he and his friend tumbled down the hill leading to the lake, and the giant willow tree that stood looming over one side of it.

"I'm gonna beat chu! Haha!" Sora called merrily from beside him, smile covering most of his small face.

"Yeah you wish!" Riku called back, willing his feet to run faster. The two boys zoomed towards the tree, hands reaching out to touch the pale bark as they pushed back curtains of tiny jade leaves. The sound of skin smacking against tree sounded almost simultaneously, Riku and Sora panting hard as they looked at their hands on the willow then to one another.

With a smile Sora pulled away and fell to the ground, fallen willow leaves cushioning his descent. "Ah man, you beat me!"

Riku smirked, crossing his pale arms over his chest, teal eyes shimmering down at the brunette. "So you finally admit it, huh? I finally won."

The boy pouted, azure eyes reflecting his disappointment. "And I thought I had finally found something I was better at than you, too."

Riku's eyes softened, bending his knees so he fell beside his friend, long pale hair falling to tickle Sora's nose. The younger giggled and sat up, looking from Riku up through the leaves of the willow tree. "You know, the way the sun's coming through the leaves…it's kind of like magic…" He looked back to his friend, smiling. "I bet it would be awesome to climb all the way to the top and look at the stars at night."

Riku reached out a hand and ruffled Sora's soft russet spikes affectionately. Sora _had_ always liked astronomy; thoughts of another world, distant planets, stories written among the stars. He had more telescopes in his room that Riku had ever seen anywhere else in his life. "But it's too far up. We've only ever made half way."

Sora pouted again, looking back up at the tree. "Yeah I know, but still. It would be cool sometime."

"Riku!" a voice called from a distance, causing the boy to look past the veil of leaves and to the top of the hill they had descended. A teenager with blonde spiked hair stood there, hand beckoning the summoned to come to him.

Riku looked back to Sora, who was looking at the blonde as well. "It's Cloud, which probably means mom wants me to come home and eat." He stood to his feet, holding out a hand for Sora to take. "You want to come over?"

The brunette took the hand and stood to his feet, then hesitated then shook his head. "No I'm sure my parents will be having dinner soon too." Riku nodded, walked towards the outside world outside of their sanctuary. "But hey," Sora called, Riku turning around to look at him. "There was something I wanted to tell you."

"Riku! Come on!" Cloud called again, looking especially emo standing by himself atop a flowery hill while donned entirely in black. "You're pissing me off!"

"Can you tell me later Sora?" Riku asked, motioning towards the sulking figure in the background.

"Y-yeah." The brunette replied, eyes falling to the leaves around him. "I guess so."

The two boys walked together out into the open and over to Riku's older brother, who eyed the two with an uninterested expression. "Food. House. Now."

Riku nodded, "I'm coming." The blonde raised an eyebrow slightly then walked away, hands in his pockets. The boy turned to his friend, searching Sora's apprehension-filled eyes. "Hey you okay?"

"I'm okay; I just need to tell you something." He returned Riku's gaze, light shimmering in his bright blue eyes.

Riku nodded, looking over his shoulder at Cloud, who was standing a ways off, waiting for him. "Tomorrow morning I'll come by, okay? You can tell me about it then."

Sora nodded, smile returning to his lips. "Okay, Riku. It's a promise."

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

Riku and Sora parted ways for the night, Riku trailing along beside Cloud as the gloomy, silent teenager walked him home, his iPod's headphones shoved in his ears. They went inside for the night, meeting Naminé on their way in, sitting on the living room floor sketching. Toys were scattered around her as well as crayons, her light pink eyes looking up to her brothers as they neared her.

"Hello Ri-kun. Did you beat Sora?"

Riku nodded to his little sister, sitting down beside her as Cloud left them to go to the kitchen. "Yeah, finally. He pouted for the longest time afterwards."

Naminé laughed softly, white-blonde hair falling down her shoulders and brushing her colorless cheeks. Her pink eyes drifted towards the picture she had been sketching, sadness shifting the light in her eyes. "I'll miss him…"

Riku tilted his head questioningly, "What did you say?"

Naminé looked back up at him, shaking her head. "It's nothing! Let's go eat big brother, mm'k?" She stood to her feet, closing her sketchbook and placing it on the nearby sofa. Riku watched her go, confusion in his eyes, before getting up and following her.

-x-x-x-

Everything flowed smoothly the rest of the night, through dinner and then to bed, until Riku was awakened by someone knocking on his window late that night. Or rather, early that morning.

-x-x-x-

 _Tap tap tap…_ Riku shifted, sleep clouding his vision as he looked around for the source of the noise. _Tap tap tap tap…_ He sat up slowly from his position lying on his stomach, rubbing his half-open eyes, before settling them on the shadow by his window. His eyes widened as awareness took hold of him, and he swung his legs over the side of his mattress, walking across the small room to the window. He opened it and let Sora inside. The brunette was panting harshly, tears shining in his eyes.

Riku looked his friend over worriedly, questions screaming through his mind. "Sora, wha-?"

The brunette flung his arms around the taller, damp eyes pressing into his throat. "I…I thought I would have enough time to say goodbye to you, I didn't know we were leaving this soon!"

Riku's heart clenched, a horrible feeling taking hold of him. He pushed Sora away a bit, meeting sapphire eyes. "Goodbye? Leaving? Sora, what are you talking about?"

Fresh tears streaked down his reddened cheeks, sob wracking up his throat and through his mouth. "My parents, they've both found work in another city far away from here called Dashilaw **(3)**." Riku's eyes widened. "I was going to tell you sooner, but it never seemed like the right time. My parents told me we would be leaving sometime in the next few days, but I didn't think they meant this morning, even before the sun is up…"

"Wait, what?" Riku exclaimed, the weight of Sora's words finally sinking in. "You mean you're leaving for another city? You're moving right now?"

Sora nodded, wiping his runny nose. "My dad said we should get a head start while most of the roads are still clear…Dashilaw is a long way away…"

Riku's shoulders slumped, fingers tightening their hold on Sora's arms. "You…you can't leave. Not like this. Sora, you're my best friend…"

"You're my best friend too Riku."

Riku searched his eyes, sorrow giving way to anger. "How could you not have told me sooner! We could have planned to do so many things, gone so many places before you left!"

"I didn't want to admit it!" Sora replied a bit louder than he should have, gritting his teeth. "I didn't want to tell you because I thought that it wouldn't really happen. But if I told you, then for certain…it would have to…"

Sora's bedroom door creaked open, Naminé's pale form peeking into the room. "Riku? Are you alright? I heard something…" On seeing Sora she entered the room and silently closed the door behind her. "So-kun, what's wrong?"

Sora met her eyes, hurt flowing from him. "We're leaving, any minute now, but I had to come say goodbye."

Naminé's eyes widened as well then she sighed and tilted her head slightly. "I wish it wasn't so soon."

"I know."

Riku looked from his sister back to Sora, biting his bottom lip to keep from screaming his frustration to the ceiling. "Damn it…what can we do?"

Sora shook his head sadly. "We can't do anything Riku; I have to go with my parents. They wouldn't let me stay…"

Riku's thoughts of convincing Sora's parents to let him stay with Riku's family abruptly died, defeat showing through his blue-green eyes. "Sora, I can't let you go."

"You never will; we'll find one another again someday." He reached out, capturing said boy's hands in his own. "I won't let you go. I can't accept that."

A horn honking from the street outside Riku's house made Sora flinch. Naminé sighed again, clutching at herself in attempts to withdraw from the sense of dread she was soaking in. Riku glared out the window, imagining the car blown to tiny bits and therefore rendering Sora's departure futile. The only problem was that scenario wasn't going to happen. Riku snapped back into reality as Sora pulled away from him.

"I have to go."

Naminé reached out and hugged the brunette, the two companions sharing goodbyes and pain-filled tears. They parted and Sora reached out to hug Riku, the older boy feeling himself start to cry as he wrapped his arms around the other, inhaling his strawberry shampoo. The horn sounded again and Sora turned away. As he put his first foot out Riku's window the older boy called, "We will find one another again."

Sora looked over his shoulder at his best friend, smile crossing his tear-streaked features. "Yeah, I know we will."

Naminé and Riku stood in silence, both thinking to themselves in the hollow time that followed Sora's departure. Finally Naminé looked up at her brother, trying to smile. "Well, at least we know where he's going. We can write him and call him sometimes."

Riku's head snapped up. "Oh no, I forgot to ask him…"

Panic surged through Naminé's rouge eyes, her head tilting to the side. "But he has our address…"

Riku shook his head. "No, I didn't…"

The petite girl's shoulders drooped a bit, but she smiled nonetheless. "Well, I guess you two will have to rely on fate then to bring you two back together."

"Fate's not good enough!"

Riku grabbed a jacket and thrust his feet into his tennis shoes, running past Naminé and out his door. He entered the kitchen, sped through the living room and down the hall to the front door, opening it quickly and running outside. He couldn't just wait for fate to reunite them again, how had he been so stupid as to not have gotten Sora's new address, or at least given him his!

The streets were empty and dimly lit by tall streetlights, Riku cutting through his neighbor's yard and crossing the first street, then second, not looking back as he made his way to Sora's house. Maybe they had gone back for something; maybe he could still catch them before they left… As the small white and yellow house came into view he screeched to a halt, almost falling on the dew-covered pavement. The house was silent and dark, nothing but a sign in the front yard stating "For Sale" left on the usually cluttered lawn. He took a few steps forward, peering in through the windows from where he stood across the street. The house was barren.

Tears stung Riku's eyes as he turned away. He sadly made his way to the willow tree that he had been to not but a few hours earlier with his best friend who was now nothing more than a memory. His feet took him back across the second street and down the incline leading to the lake, glittering willow leaves brushing his hair and shoulders as he pushed through them half-heartedly. He was all alone. Sure, he had his family, but Sora had been the only real friend he had. Riku was cold and standoffish to strangers but with Sora he could be himself. The bouncy kid had always managed to bring a smile to his face, make him feel like he belonged. Pressing his forehead to the cool, smooth bark Riku let himself cry, something he rarely did at all, and couldn't stand to do around others. Poor Naminé, she had really loved Sora too. The three of them had been constant friends, Sora not caring that the little girl was albino. He didn't seem like he had a care in the world.

Riku looked up through the leaves, the moon washing down through the branches, making pretty patches of silver that danced across the damp grass. Sora had wanted to climb to the top, to see the stars. Riku grabbed the lowest branch he could find, pulling himself up. Sora, how could he make it without Sora? He climbed higher and higher until he reached the half-way mark he and Sora always stopped at, the heart of the tree. There, written in crayon across the trunk, were his and the brunette's names. He smiled and reached out to touch the precious memory, then turned and looked skyward once more. Sora's smiling face, Sora's bubbly laugh, Sora's carefree attitude, Sora's kindness in all he did… Riku peeked his head through the willow leaves at the very top of the tree, looking around at the dark town around him. The lights to his house were on in his bedroom, but other than a few lamp posts the small city was dark. He looked from the streets across the hill and to the lake, the water reflecting the almost full moon and the dazzling stars. The pale haired boy looked up at the brightly glowing orbs, sighing and resting his hands on the branch before him. This was what Sora had wanted to see, this was what Sora wanted. Riku could understand now why the younger had always loved the night sky. It was the most beautiful thing Riku had ever laid eyes on. Suddenly the branch beneath him let out a terrifying snap.

-x-x-x-

Riku didn't remember falling, but he remembered sensation returning to him after he woke from his fall, something hot and wet covering his right arm and across his face. He tried to sit up but couldn't; he tried to move but it hurt so much to do so. He couldn't see anything, but he could hear footsteps coming, a soft voice calling from a ways away. "Riku, where are you?"

"Naminé," his broken voice called, "Naminé I…"

The footsteps came closer and changed their sound, going from pavement to grass as she began running. "Riku! Oh my god, what happened?" She went down on her knees beside him, reaching out to touch his chest. "Oh Riku…"

"I think…I fell…"

"Shh, don't talk." She reached out and touched her brother's bloody cheek, looking at the damage that had been done. "I've got to go get Cloud; can you stay here a bit longer?"

"Y-yeah…"

Naminé stood once more, saying as she ran off, "Don't try to move! I'm serious!"

Riku would have nodded but he didn't want to move, so he settled for laying still and calling, "I won't." He waited a moment nervously, then reached up to touch where Naminé had, feeling the blood across his face. His eyes widened and pain shot through his head and face, so he closed them again, gingerly tracing the long gash across his eyelid, nose, and other eye and cheek. Had he hit a branch as he fell? He couldn't see… Riku smiled sadly, resigning himself to this revelation. If he couldn't see what was he going to do now? How would be live? He could hear shouts from the direction of his house and an ambulance wailing somewhere off in the distance, then Cloud and Naminé's voices as they ran to him. Riku, sighing and tilting his head slightly, let himself fade into unconsciousness, images of Sora engulfing his dreams.

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

Riku ran his hands over the brail of his book again, rereading the last line. " _Even if fate deals you a cruel hand, never give into it, never cease to believe_." Riku snorted, closing the book and standing up, fingertips brushing along his desk and bed of his new room. Cruel didn't even begin to cover it.

After falling out of the top of the willow tree the young boy had been rushed to the hospital, and despite all efforts he was diagnosed permanently blind. The doctors had insisted that Riku, being only twelve, could easily learn how to cope with his blindness; learning brail, sharpening his other senses, learning how to do things without his sight. Riku's parents were devastated, but agreed to help their son in any way they could, sending him to therapists and teachers to help him learn to read with his fingers and manage the pain. Cloud and Naminé were there with him the whole way, and after about the first year Riku's twinges had stopped, his scarring was almost completely healed, and he had learned how to read in brail. Naminé, who was in the same grade as Riku, helped him get accustomed to the school again. Cloud took him around town, to the mall and park, to help him learn how to adapt to the places he would want to go to by himself in the future. They passed through three more years, going from middle school to high school, before their parents decided it was a good time to move. Right as Riku was finally feeling confident in himself enough to be independent from his siblings his parents ripped that away from him, thrusting him into a completely different environment. Riku about lost his mind.

Naminé was helping him adjust, teaching him about their new house and the layout of the neighborhood, taking him shopping and such. She had just gotten her license and was looking forward to driving them both to their new school the next week, helping her brother pick out his clothes and combing his long white-blonde hair. Riku was almost seventeen now, and it frustrated him that his baby sister had to take care of him like this, but Naminé insisted that she didn't mind. She knew Riku would adjust quickly and be able to do these things by himself, but she liked to help all she could. Something Riku loved about his sister was the fact that even though he was now blind she didn't treat him like he was about to break, nor did she feel sorry for him or act like he was handicapped. He was stronger emotionally and mentally than anyone else she had ever met, and continued to treat him like he was her big brother. Cloud was the same, still bossing the younger boy around, picking on him, getting into fights with him every now and then. Cloud was a sophomore in college now, and attending a different school. Naminé and Riku would be juniors in their new high school. Riku sighed to himself. Yay…he could hardly wait.

-x-x-x-

The weekend passed by quickly, and Monday morning began.

-x-x-x-

Riku's alarm clock woke him up at six in the morning, as it announced before beginning to play the radio station he had set it to. Groggily the teen sat up, reached out a hand to touch his bedside table, and stood to his feet. He felt his way across the room; desk, chair, lamp, wall, reaching his closet and feeling through it absent mindedly. He pulled out a pair of cargo pants and a t-shirt, the brail labels along the hanger telling him it what they were. Moving to his dresser he opened the top drawer and grabbed a pair of boxers, then opened the side door that led to his bathroom. He stripped, took his time washing his long hair and scrubbing his body clean, then rinsed and got out of the shower. Toweling his hair dry he listened for any signs of life in the rest of the house. In the room next to his he could hear Naminé singing to herself. _She must be getting dressed_ , he thought to himself. His sister usually sang to herself when she was getting ready in the mornings, or was extremely happy. A smile crossed his lips as he tossed the towel on his sink and dressed himself. At least _she_ was looking forward to their first day. Riku was practically crawling out of his skin he was so nervous. He was about to go to a new school, with new people, in a place he was unfamiliar with…and expected to function enough to quickly adjust and make friends and good grades and _AAARGH_!

Combing his long hair he felt his way along his body. The black shirt he was wearing had the nautical star design across it he liked, and these were his second favorite pair of bondage pants, the blue and black ones. Silver chains looped through the pockets and crisscrossed behind his long legs. He left the bathroom and felt along his room with his feet until he found his boots and a pair of socks. Putting them on quickly he clasped a silver crown necklace around his throat; his most prized possession. It had been Sora's, Naminé had found it in her room when they were getting ready to move, and had given it to Riku. _Sora…_

Ironically when they had moved the also went to Dashilaw, but it was a rather big town. Riku didn't get his hopes too high, for all he knew Sora could have moved again a long time ago. Plus, even if he was somewhere in the same city it was so big that it was possible the two would never see one another. Especially for Riku; it wasn't exactly like he could walk around _looking_ for him. Grabbing a few other accessories off of the dresser; rings, bracelets, and a pair of sharp-looking sunglasses, he finished equipping the rest of his outfit. Shoving his wallet, cellphone, and house keys into his pockets he grabbed his black backpack out of his chair, walking towards the door to his room. He had Naminé help him stuff the bag full of all his school supplies the night before, brail labels highlighting the binds of the books and notebooks for each class. New brail textbooks had been expensive, but his parents hadn't seemed to mind at all. Riku, entering the hallway separating the den and the living room, walked a few feet and reached out to knock on Naminé's door. The girl stopped singing and walked over to open it, smiling at her brother though he couldn't see it.

"Hey Ri-kun. You're looking awful spiffy this morning." She reached out and touched his arm, pulling him gently into the room. Her brother followed her, wondering what she was up to. She led him to the bed, which he sat upon, then ruffled through her drawers until she found what she was looking for. Walking back to him, she said, "You forgot to put an earring in, I found a silver hoop that would look good on you. Can I put it on you?"

Riku nodded, trying not to flinch as Naminé brushed his cheek and slid the small hoop through his earlobe, conscious of how close she was to his eyes. His blindness hadn't really affected his personality at all except for he couldn't stand anyone to touch his face. Not that it hurt or anything, but because it scared him. He knew Naminé wouldn't hurt him, but his mind still remembered the shock when he ran his fingers along that gash, and it haunted him. The petite girl smiled softly at her brother as she pulled her hands away, then reached up to his hairline and hooked her finger under it, pulling it back and forth as she made her way back, then parting the hair around her finger. Nice, she loved zigzag parts, but they had always looked especially good on Riku. He reached up and caught her had as she began to pull it away, smiling at her. "Thanks Naminé."

"No prob!" She replied, then returned to her mirror on the wall and continued to apply her makeup. "I'll be just a sec, I'm finishing up. Then we can get to school early and I can show you around before I have to go."

Riku tensed slightly but didn't say anything, that realization irking him a little. Naminé had second, fourth and fifth hour with him, but the rest of the time he was without her. Would he be able to make it across the school by himself? Maybe Naminé could go with him, help him for like the first…month… Riku tilted his head, eyes rolling behind his dark sunglasses. Yeah, like that would work. He couldn't ask her to do that, not even for the first day. She needed to be accepted just as much as he did, after all, she would have a hard enough time fending for herself as an albino. People tend to fear and mistreat those different from themselves.

The blonde put her hair up in a messy bun with two blue chopsticks and let her bangs fall around her face, accenting her pink eyes and light pale cheeks. She was wearing a baby blue tank top with a blue jean jacket over it, and dark denim hip riders with a white crisscross belt and white flip-flops. Her hoop earrings were bright pink, as were her chunky bracelets and matching ring. Her long fingernails were painted a shimmering pearl that changed colors as she moved. Applying some lip gloss and finishing her pink eye shadow she put away her makeup and turned to her dresser, pulling her own backpack from against the wall. It was white and baby blue, with a few pencils sticking out of the front pocket. Grabbing a bottle of body spray she sprayed it across her hair and waist. It smelled like caramel, her favorite. Ready to go she reached out and touched Riku's shoulder. He stood up, taking her hand, and followed her.

The siblings passed through the silent living room, through another hall past their parent's room, turned a corner and entered the kitchen. Naminé spotted a note on the kitchen table and picked it up, reading it to Riku. "Your father and I have to go to a meeting with our new employers today. We won't be back until late. There's food in the fridge. Have a good day at school. Call Cloud if you need anything…"

"Hn," Riku snorted, "Call Cloud. He's too busy with school as it is. He started as soon as we got here."

"Then let's hope nothing happens so that we need to call him." Naminé replied, tugging her brother along. "Come on; let's make sure to get to school early." She grabbed a few packages of pop tarts, handing Riku one. Feeling the foil wrapped breakfast he stuffed it in one of his overly large pockets for later. He couldn't eat right now, he was so nervous he thought he might get sick if he tried. His sister lead him down the next hall and to the front doors, opening them then locking them behind her as she and Riku stepped onto the front porch. She took his hand again afterwards, leading him to her car parked beside the house. " _It's a dark purple Cougar_ ", she had informed him when first obtaining the car, " _a brand new one too. Oh Riku I wish you could drive it, you'd like it better than I do, and I love it_!" He felt along the smooth body of the car, guiding himself to the passenger side door and letting himself in, sitting down on the plush leather seats. He could hear Naminé sit down beside him, the jingle of her keys as she revved up the engine, the shifting of the ground beneath him though he was sitting still. He loved the feel of riding in a car, he only regretted that he would never be able to drive one as well.

The ride was smooth, Naminé telling him the layout of the town, how the neighborhoods looked, and eventually the first appearance of the high school. It was only a ten minute ride away, and the calm feeling he had while cruising in the Cougar was quickly replaced by the apprehension he had felt earlier. First day of school. Get ready for a wild ride.

Naminé pulled into a parking lot not too far from the front gates, not that many students had arrived an hour early as they had. The sports car turned a few heads as she came to a halt in a spot under the shade of a large oak tree, and she turned off the car, sitting in silence a moment with her brother. She could tell how tense he was and she reached over to touch his leg in a reassuring way. "I'll tell you everything I see, I promise. I'll take you to all your classes before school starts so you'll know where they are, and I have my cell on me in case you need me. It'll be fine Riku, I won't leave your side until I have to, okay?"

Riku let out a long sigh, letting his nerves settle a bit, then nodded. She smiled at him, removing her hand, then got out of the car and looked around at her surroundings. The building was big, much bigger than the one they had left, made from dark red brick. It had a black roof and a flag pole in the front, but what caught her eye was the posters across the front of the entryway. Black and gold lettering splayed across one sign stated "Welcome back to Dashilaw East High students! We hope you have a great year!" There were stars and hearts all over the poster. Naminé about died right then and there. It looked like this school was active, as in full of preps, jocks, and lots of pep rallies. Yippie. Fun fun fun… She let her eyes fall across the steps leading up the slight incline to the front doors where a few small groups of students were sitting. One group looked like a bunch of _Dungeons and Dragons_ nerds, another were a couple making out, then a group of four were sitting engaged in conversation nearest to the flagpole. There was a girl with short black hair who was laughing loudly, a boy with spiky blonde hair and light blue eyes doodling in a notebook, a boy with dark purple hair and electric blue highlights with his bangs just long enough to hide his eyes, and a girl with curly mint-green hair who was trying to read a book. The curly-haired girl seemed to notice someone was watching her and looked over at Naminé, tilting her head slightly in acknowledgement. Naminé returned the jester as Riku reached out to touch her shoulder. She took his hand and began to walk towards the group, Riku's fingers intertwining with her own.

As his sister began to walk forward she described what she was seeing, Riku envisioning it in his mind. "There are oak trees around the front, steps leading up to the school with a flagpole off to the side. The school's big, and made of red brick. There are a few people on the stairs; one of the girls looked over at me. She's with three other people; they look like they're friendly." He smiled slightly, following slightly behind her, tightening his grip on her hand as they began to ascend the stairs. "Maybe we can get them to show us around?"

Riku "hn"ed in response, not really caring either way. Even if these strangers didn't help them they would have enough time to find their classes on their own. Careful not to trip, listening to Naminé's footsteps to time his own, they came to a halt in front of the doors. Naminé was the first to speak.

"Excuse me," she said, the mint-haired girl looking up at her, as well as the blonde boy. The dark haired girl and boy continued talking, laughing at one another happily. "We're new here and I was wondering if you would mind pointing out the direction of our first classes?" She reached into her pocket, pulling out a slip of paper; her class schedule. The girl nodded, reaching and taking the sheet, looking it over quickly.

She looked over at the blonde beside her, showing him the paper. "They're juniors; you want to show them around?"

The boy nodded, closing his notebook as he stood up and picking up his bag, looking over at the giggling girl beside him. "Hey, come with, she's got first class with you."

The dark haired girl turned her attention to the blonde, getting up as well; laptop case pulled onto her shoulder. "Okie dokie! Talk to you later Kurei!" She nudged the emo boy's shoulder, stepping past the blonde and waving to the other girl in her group. "Bye Taso!"

The curly haired girl waved back, rolling her eyes slightly. To Naminé she said, "They'll show you two around." she looked over at Riku, smiling at him as well, "Kurei and I are seniors, but I'm sure we'll have a few classes together. I have Art with you first block."

Naminé nodded her thanks. "My name is Naminé, this is my brother Riku. Thank you very much for your help."

"I'm Tasogare, or Taso." She replied, "Don't worry about it, it's no problem. I'll see you in a bit."

Naminé turned from Taso and Kurei to the blonde boy and dark haired girl waiting for them near the doors. The pale girl tugged her brother slightly and he moved forward with her, shifting the weight of his backpack uneasily. They sounded nice, and the girl Naminé had been talking to smelled like peppermint…but he wasn't quite sure if he liked them yet. Riku had never trusted easy, and just because Naminé felt they were okay didn't mean he had to. Listening to the sound of the doors closing as he walked into crisp air conditioning put his senses on high. Voices echoing down the hallway, the sound of lockers opening and closing, and shoes squeaking across the tiled floor reverberated through the blind boy's ears. He followed his sister in silence as she began a conversation with the others.

"So…you have your first class with me?" the blonde girl asked her dark headed leader. The perky girl looked back with a smile and a nod.

"Uh huh, Art's the coolest. You'll like it a lot I bet. Our teacher's really sweet. Does your brother have Art with us too?"

Riku, listening to the conversation, replied, "I've got English first block."

"Junior English is right next to Art, so we'll show you where it is." The blonde replied, looking back at the boy. "By the way, I'm Roxas." He motioned to the girl beside him. "This idiot is Yuffie."

Naminé laughed softly as Yuffie stuck her tongue out at the boy then looked over at Riku. "You know, someone will probably say something to you about those sunglasses." She looked over at Yuffie again, "Or is there not a dress code here?"

Roxas stopped in front of a row of lockers, opening one and shoving his backpack inside, grabbing a few notebooks and a textbook for his first class. "It depends," he replied, Yuffie opening a locker nearby and copying his movements. "Some teachers won't care, others will. The English teacher's pretty laid back as long as you're not talking or throwing things across the room. As for other teachers, you'll just have to see."

 _See…_ Riku shifted away from the others, long white hair falling to hide most of his face. He wished. Roxas passed by him again, walking down the hallway, and Riku realized how much he smelled like vanilla. It was an easy way to recognize people, by their scents, and he jotted it down in his memory. Naminé, looking at her class schedule again, found her and Riku's lockers, opening them and guiding her brother's hand to the brail beneath the number ID. _2424_ , that was simple enough. He lifted his backpack to hang in one of the corners, unzipping it and retrieving his English and Math books (first and second block), a notebook and a pencil. Naminé was doing the same, taking her Art and Math books out of her backpack and shoving it in the back of her locker. The siblings closed their doors, Naminé grabbing Riku's hand, and met Yuffie and Roxas a little ways down the hall.

Yuffie bounced sideways into a colorful room with artwork covering the walls, Roxas watching her and shaking his head. "Here's your stop Naminé, that room down and across is Riku's." He pointed to an open door, bookcases lining the back wall.

"Thank you," the girl replied, "so we'll see you around?"

Roxas nodded, "I have to go find someone, we have first period Math together. See you later."

"Bye!" Yuffie called enthusiastically as she peeked her head back into the hallway, waving after the boy.

"Bye Roxas, nice to meet you!" Naminé called as well, the blonde walking to the end of the hallway and disappearing around the corner to the right. Turning to her brother she said, "I'll take you over, want me to tell you about the room?"

Yuffie watched in confusion. Show him around the room, was he scared much or what? "It's not that bad you know, Axel and Zexion are in that class first period." She cocked her head. "They were wandering around here earlier; they may already be in their seats. You should go see, you know? They're funny guys if you can handle that sort of thing."

"Thanks." Naminé replied, walking towards the room, "I'll be back in a sec."

Yuffie shrugged, disappearing back into the room once more, the scent of butterscotch fading after her. Riku followed Naminé, clutching his books in his other arm, a nervous feeling washing over him. He tightened his hold on his sister's hand. It would be okay, he would have the next class with her. The smell of old books and chipper voices filled his senses as the two stepped into the room. Riku could hear a group of boys in the back talking to one another loudly, one of them saying, "Hey it's a new girl!"

"Nice, she's not bad at all…"

"Shut up Axel, you need to learn to…"

"What!" the previous voice whined, "She's hot!"

Riku growled, looking over in the direction the voices were coming from. Wishing he could see so he would know who to punch later, Naminé pulled his arm and led him towards the front of the class. "Teacher?" The woman glanced up at the girl from where she was arranging some papers on her desk.

Looking Naminé and Riku over pleasantly she asked, "How may I help you?"

Naminé smiled at her, motioning to her brother. "My brother, he's in your first period class. I wanted to introduce you two, and ask you a favor."

The teacher nodded, "What is it?"

Brushing her hand over Riku's arm she leaned in and whispered, "Is it all right if I tell her?" She knew Riku could be rather sensitive about his blindness, and didn't want to offend him by telling a stranger something so personal without his permission.

Riku hesitated then nodded. "She'll find out anyway, my books are in brail."

Naminé nodded, then stepped away from Riku, and turning to the teacher. "You see, a few years ago…there was an accident." She looked away slightly, "Riku's blind."

The teacher's eyes widened slightly, but there was understanding within them. "So you would like me to look after him until he gets used to class?" Naminé nodded. "That would be no problem at all. I look forward to getting to know all of my students."

Naminé smiled, "Thank you. If anything happens I'm right down the hall, but everything should be okay." She reached over and touched her brother's arm. "Riku knows how to get a hold of me."

Said boy nodded, returned the brief hug Naminé gave him, then listened to her footsteps carry her towards the door. "I'll come get you after class okay? Then we can walk to Math together."

"Okay," Riku replied, "I'll be here." She walked out into the hall and back to her class, leaving the scent of caramel where she had been a few moments ago. The sounds of disappointment could be heard from the back of the room, the group of boys sad to see the new hottie go. _Yeah, I'll be here if I haven't gotten in trouble for decking a sexist..._

He reached out, fingertips brushing the teacher's desk, then walked a few paces until he feet the tip of one of the student's desks, walking along the row to the back. He took a seat near the group of boys, listening to them talking about television and girls, before the five-minute-til' bell rang and students began pouring into the room. Laughter and high-fives were exchanged between the returning students, a few people whispering comments about the new gothic kid in the back. Finally someone approached him, one of the boys from the group before; the one that had made the "she's hot" comment.

"So buddy, I was wondering, who was that girl you were with earlier?"

His voice was playful and light, the faint smell of cinnamon wafting off of him. "That was my little sister." Riku replied, tilting his head in the direction the other boy's voice had come from.

"Oh, yeah? What's her name?"

Riku's eyebrow twitched. Who did this guy think he was? "Why don't you ask her yourself if you want to know so badly."

Another boy snickered, Axel saying, "Shut up Demyx…" then to Riku, "Hey I was just asking. You two are new, right? What's your name?"

"Riku." Said boy replied, "My sister is Naminé."

"Naminé…" another voice said. "That's a pretty name."

Another bell rang, and Demyx said, "Shit I gotta go; see you next class Axel." He shuffled as he stood from his seat, running out of the class. "Bye Zexion! Bye new kid!"

"It's Riku!" Riku called half-heartedly. Not that he really cared; he didn't even know who these three were. Cinnamon-guy Axel and the other boy, Zexion, chuckled lightly, sitting down beside Riku. The teacher quieted everyone down, took roll, and class began.

-x-x-x-

This day was going to turn out interesting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1)Tasogare is pronounced (ta-so-gah-ray)
> 
> (2)Kurei is pronounced (kuhr-ay)
> 
> (3)Dashilaw is pronounced (duh-shy-lah)
> 
> Thanks for reading! More to come!


	2. Burned

Naminé walked back over to her class, looking through the large room for Yuffie, who seemed to have disappeared. The warning bell sounded, stating there were five minutes before class started, so Naminé took a seat to the far side of the class near the middle. A kiln was heating nearby, clay laid out on a long desk covered with various art supplies. She gasped softly, getting up and walking across the room then out the door and back to her locker. She had forgotten to grab her sketchbook. She retrieved said item quickly, then turned to see Yuffie and Tasogare walking down the hall towards her, Yuffie calling a cheerful goodbye to someone disappearing around the corner. "Naminé!" she greeted, bouncing over and linking her arm with the other girl's. "Come on, we're going to be late!"

Naminé let herself be dragged along, Tasogare following along after them, smiling affectionately at the dark headed girl. "W-who was it you were talking to?"

"Oh one of my friends, you'll get to meet him sometime soon!" She skipped into the room, releasing Naminé and taking a seat beside her, Tasogare following suit. "Hey, would you let me see your schedule? I'll let you see mine!"

"Okay." Naminé replied as she sat down, handing the girl the piece of paper. Yuffie took it from the blonde, looking it over, face brightening even brighter than it already was. She took out her own schedule, giving it to Naminé, who blinked several times. "But, this is the same as mine…"

"Except for one block, sixth." She giggled, looking over at Taso. "Naminé and I have all the same classes! All except one!"

"Then keep an eye on her, help her adjust." Tasogare replied, looking over at the new junior. "Until she gets used to it that is, I'm sure she's quite capable of handling herself on her own."

Naminé blushed slightly, looking away. That was a nice thing to say, especially in the sincere tone Tasogare took with her. She wasn't used to people talking to her in such a way, a smile covering her pretty face.

"Okay class! Time's almost up!" the teacher said as he walked into the room, placing some books and a stack of paper atop his already cluttered desk. "Take your seats! Come on…move it people!"

Naminé turned from looking at Yuffie and Taso to the man at the front of the room. He introduced himself quickly, Naminé quickly picking up on the fact that he was a joker, and dutifully called out her presence when the teacher took roll. After that a controlled chaos ensued, the professor leaving the students to projects of their own design. Naminé, slightly confused, asked Tasogare about it.

"Junior Art is basically a creative class. You won't use the textbooks until around time for tests, or busy work if your teacher is sick…or sometimes for punishment. Freshman and sophomore classes are the ones with all the bookwork."

"Yeah," Yuffie added, up and about collecting paints and a canvas. "As long as you do so many projects by the end of the year you get an easy A, no problem." She grinned over at Taso, narrowing her eyes in playful accusation. "That's one reason Taso decided to become the teach's student aid. It's a free ride through her last year."

Looking very dignified the older girl batted her long mint green eyelashes, violet eyes sparkling mischievously. "I'm a senior, I'm allowed to slack off a bit."

Yuffie "ch"ed and sat down beside Naminé again after grabbing a mini-easel for her canvas and set it up on her desk. She quickly set to work, splashing bright colors across the small canvas. "So Naminé," the girl asked, brush stroking back and forth across her painting, "your brother, he's kind of cute."

Tasogare rolled her eyes. "You also think Demyx is cute."

"And Kurei."

"And Zexion…"

"And Axel!" She added with a nod, then quickly said, "But that's not the point!" She looked over at the albino girl, searching her pink eyes. "Riku's really quite cute…does he have a girlfriend?"

Naminé, who had been laughing, sobered up quite quickly. She averted her eyes, looking at the closed sketchpad before her. So many memories were within it's pages, back from when she had still been a kid. "No, he doesn't…"

Yuffie, sensing her change in mood, cocked her head to the side. "Is he gay or something?"

Naminé blinked then burst out laughing, pale cheeks flushing pink. "No it's not that, at least I don't think he's gay." She smiled softly, searching the girl's mahogany eyes. "It's hard for him to get close to anyone, it always has been. Sora was the only close friend my brother ever had but he moved and we never heard from him again." She looked over at Tasogare, who was listening intently. "Riku took that pretty hard. That and…" Her voice faded off as she began thinking to herself.

"And what?" Yuffie questioned, Naminé shaking her head as she opened her sketchbook.

"It's something he should tell you." She flipped through the pages, remembering the images from her childhood. "It's not that it's a bad thing but he's sensitive about it sometimes. Being new here and all, he wouldn't want you to treat him or think of him differently." She looked back at Yuffie. "Neither would I."

"Oh." the girl replied, then focused on her painting. After a slight pause in conversation between the three, she opted, "I still think that he's cute."

Tasogare sighed in exasperation, "Then do something about it."

"I dunno, he seems like he could be kind of scary." She teased, sticking her tongue out.

Thinking to herself Tasogare didn't respond, but asked Naminé after a moment, "What did you say your friend's name was, the one that moved away?"

"Sora." Naminé replied, picking up her pencil and beginning the outline of a human's face. "He was the same age as me, so he'd be sixteen now…"

Yuffie wasn't paying attention, but Tasogare continued thinking to herself in silence. Naminé looked over questioningly but the older girl seemed to drop the thought, getting up and walking around the room to check on the other students. "Sora…" she whispered, then her voice faded from Naminé's ears. The blonde watched after the other girl in confusion for a few seconds then returned to her drawing, letting her memories lead her strokes against the paper. Absently she wondered how Riku was managing in his first class of the day.

-x-x-x-

"… _and there was a darkness about her, one that shunned the light illuminating her smile, the glimmer in her eyes, her shine. Tainted with the blood of the victims she killed in stains only she could see, the temptress walked the night in shadow. The moon was dead to her heart, the only feelings she knew were the tastes of the kill, and revenge._ "

The class listened in silence as Axel finished the last of the poem, several of the girls swooning to one another over the sexy beast before them, hearts popping out of their eyes as they chibi-fied. The teen stood at the front of the class, jade eyes dancing over the crowd before him, wolfish grin sending the fawning girls into giddy screams. He closed the textbook, running a hand through his long, fiery red spikes, and sauntered back to his seat beside Riku, smirking the whole way.

"Show off." Zexion accused from in front of him, turning around in his seat to glare at his friend.

"Can't help it that I'm a sex god," said boy replied with a shrug. "Sorry Zexi."

From beside him Riku snorted, hiding a laugh as he listened to their conversation. Axel looked over at the newcomer, eyes roaming across Riku's body, taking in the details appreciatively. "So Riku…you gonna read next?"

Riku hesitated, then nodded, grabbing his textbook and tracing the edges of the desks as he walked forward. He knew how many steps to take after listening to most of the class walk back and forth and reached the front of the class without any mishaps at all, fingers flowing across the brail in his textbook as he found the poem on the next page.

" _Sound sleeps in the dawn of the day, when the light has yet to be awoken. Strings of broken harmony that echo through restless souls, longing for the rain to block out the sun…_ " The class murmured for a moment, but returned to silence again as Riku found the next line. " _The sleeping twilight that surrounds me, playing the songs only my heart can sing. Could it awake you from your night dreams, could it find you far from the light? Oh herald for the morning, I pray thee hold off the rising day. Bring back to me the night once again, so that I may live in the dark with my heart…deep in the frozen rain._ "

Riku stood before his classmates, listening to their murmured awe at his recital. Turning his head slightly he asked over his shoulder, "Teacher, did I do something wrong?"

The teacher laughed lightly, amusement in her tone. "Not exactly, Riku. You did what you were supposed to do by reading the next page. However, that poem was in Italian, and you translated it without so much as slight hesitation. Very well done." Riku shifted uneasily from one foot to the other. "If I hadn't been reading along in the teacher's manual I would have thought you were just making it up as you went along. It was very good, you may go sit down."

Riku nodded, walking down the row he had come from and back to his seat, sitting down with a slight blush across his cheeks. _But the brail had been in English..._

"Hey that was sweet," Axel whispered as the next person made their way to the front to read, "Where'd you learn Italian?"

"I don't know Italian…"

Axel raised an eyebrow at him, though it wasn't as if Riku could see him. "You got a copy of the teacher's edition or what?"

"N-no, it's nothing like that." He closed the book, pulled a piece of paper out of one of his notebooks, and began to write. The lines along the paper were slightly elevated so Riku would know he was writing straight, his cursive slightly italicized but otherwise perfect. He hadn't forgotten how to handwrite things, he could clearly see what he wanted to write and how to write it in his mind. All he had to do was put it down on paper. Axel watched him with slight fascination. Emo kid knew how to read Italian though he didn't know Italian, had a smoking hot sister, and could write perfectly without looking down at his paper. It looked like Axel was going to have a bit of competition this year… Grinning he turned towards the front of the class to listen to the speaker, watching Riku out of the corner of his eye. Hell, emo boy didn't look so bad either. He wondered to himself if Riku was straight or not but decided not to press the issue. After all, the guy didn't even know him. But still…he could watch.

-x-x-x-

The bell rang, signaling the end of first period. Axel landed a light punch on Riku's shoulder as he got up to leave. "See you around!"

Zexion waved goodbye to the red-head as he ran off, looking over at Riku who seemed to be scowling behind his sunglasses. Smiling he said, "Axel's just like that, he's not trying to bother you."

Riku turned towards the other boy slightly, nodding. "I figured that. He's just so…"

"…Axel." Zexion replied, silver bangs brushing against his right cheek, slate eyes shining. "He's just so Axel." At Riku's cocked eyebrow the other boy replied, "Trust me, there are no other words to describe him."

"I could think of a few."

Zexion laughed, shaking his head as he gathered his books and began walking towards the door. "So, I never asked you, do you know how to get to your next class?"

Riku, following the scent of coffee that was Zexion, grabbed his books and followed him, fingertips brushing the desk, seats, and doorframe as they made their way out into the hall. Staying near the entrance to the door, back pressed to a cool brick wall, he replied, "I have Math next, but my sister is going with me."

"Math? Me too." Zexion replied, "That's pretty cool, they say that class is boring, so I was bummed out when Axel didn't have it with me. Want to sit together?"

"Fine by me."

"Ri-kun!" Naminé called, stepping through the stream of students flooding the hallway, brushing gently past Zexion and to her brother. "How was it? Did you like it okay?"

Riku nodded, smiling at his little sister. "It was fine. Naminé, this is Zexion. He has class with us next block."

Naminé looked over at the silver-haired boy, flashing him a friendly smile. "Nice to meet you." She took Riku's hand and began to walk away when she stopped, saying, "Oh! Yuffie's coming too!"

"Naminé!" a voice called sing-song like, the dark haired girl walking over to the three. "Hiya Zex, hey Riku. We ready to go?"

The blonde girl nodded back to her, lightly squeezing her brother's hand. "Let's go."

-x-x-x-

Zexion's expectations for the class proved to be more than accurate. It was all Riku could do to stay awake as the monotonic teacher droned on and on about fractions and ratios. Naminé and Yuffie occupied themselves by doodling in the blonde's sketchpad, Zexion working ahead to get their homework done. When the bell rang to signify the end of second block Riku almost fell out of his chair, Naminé trying not to giggle loud enough for her brother to hear.

They went to their lockers and exchanged books, Naminé heading down the left hall towards the Choir rooms, Riku and Zexion to the right and over a hall to the Science wing. "This is it here," Zexion said, stepping into a classroom that smelt like burned toast. Or pop tarts rather. "Smells like you'll be having class with Axel, the little pyro."

"What!" Axel called, looking over to the door to see Zexion standing with Riku. "They're not using these burners for anything else at the moment, and lunch is still two periods away!"

Zexion shook his head, patting Riku gently on the back. "Good luck, I'll see you next period for History."

"Thanks Zex." Riku replied, feeling along the cold tile walls until he reached the lab table that smelled the most like cinnamon and burned pop tarts. He touched the edge of a stool, put his books down on the table and sat down, leaning his elbows on the smooth counter. "So, you like fire?"

Axel grinned wolfishly, "Yeah you could say that. I like to watch things burn, but not in a violent sense. I just love the power fire has; death, healing, light." He bit into his slightly charred cinnamon-apple pop tart, munching away at the treat. "Oh god I'm in heaven…"

Riku reached down into his pants pocket and pulled out his uneaten breakfast, wondering what flavor it was. He opened the wrapper, broke off a piece, and popped in into his mouth. Blueberry... He agreed with Axel, this was indeed heaven. Well, except for the fact that he couldn't see, his best friend had been missing for over four years, he had just moved to a new town against his will, and yeah…to summarize it all life pretty much sucked except for his pop tart. He picked it up and bit into it, enjoying the taste.

"Want one of mine?" Axel asked, watching the white haired boy biting into the blue and purple treat, offering one of his own. Riku, shrugging, offered his other piece, Axel taking it then placing his warm cinnamon-apple tart in the boy's offered hand. "Thanks, I like these too…"

Taking a tentative bite, wondering just how badly Axel had burned the damn thing, the bell rang for class to start. Riku nibbled at the pop tart a bit, found he liked it, and took a bigger bite, shoving the rest of it back in the wrapper for later. Students began filling in the classroom, squeaky tennis shoes drawing his attention as they drew nearer then sat across from him at the lab. "Yo, Axel! Where the hell did you disappear to at the last minute! I had to grab your camera for you ya dumbass!"

Another voice, this one familiar, added to the conversation as he sat down next to the first. "I would have brought it to you, but Demyx insisted on harassing you about it." Chocolate…it was the other boy from this morning. What was his name…Kurei?

"Aww you ruin all the fun now that you're a senior!" Demyx sniffed, hurt shining in his blue eyes as he made a puppy face. "Hey, the new guy's got this class with you too?"

Shaking his head Kurei acknowledged Riku as well, "Hello again. Has Axel driven you crazy yet?" His golden eyes glimmered as he looked between the red-head and the younger boy, noticing how Axel was looking at Riku.

"No, I'm fine." Riku replied, grin quirking the edge of his mouth. "He burned a poor, defenseless pop tart to death though. I'm afraid I might be next."

Axel, quickly defending himself, had the other three boys laughing so hard they about fell from their stools. Class started a few moments later, Riku's cheeks flushed from the excitement. Maybe this school wouldn't be so bad after all.

-x-x-x-

Naminé and Yuffie met Tasogare in the choir room, who quickly introduced them to their fellow singers in soprano (for Naminé) and alto (for Yuffie, but most of who she had already met). The boy singers were off in a corner to themselves, leaving most of the room to the females which in this case were most definitely the majority. The teacher called everyone to order, put them in rows, then had them practice basic scales and warm-up exercises. Naminé couldn't help but notice that one of the tenors had an exceptional voice. She caught a glimpse of russet spikes but nothing more. She was, after all, very petite. Maybe she could go introduce herself later, but at the moment she had to focus on her arpeggios.

-x-x-x-

When class changed everyone was back together again in the junior's History class, the end of which would grant a thirty minute break affectionately known as lunch. Riku was sitting at a table with Axel, Demyx, and Zexion. Naminé at the table beside him was with Yuffie and Roxas. The seven were getting along quite well, working in groups to answer worksheets and group papers, entertaining one another through the longest part of the day; right before you got to the food.

-x-x-x-

Little did any of them know the conversation between Tasogare and a certain brunette in forth period Photography, the mint-haired girl telling her younger friend about the new kids in school.

-x-x-x-

Axel practically jumped for joy at the sound of the lunch bell, grabbing Demyx and Riku as he made his way out of the room and towards the cafeteria, Yuffie, Naminé, Zexion, and Roxas following close behind. Axel's quick pace and un-guiding grip on the Riku's arm made him feel like he was about to fall though he didn't really mind the other boy pulling him along. Demyx didn't seem to mind either, the dirty blonde laughing and resisting half-heartedly as Axel continued on his way. Riku, shifting his arm in Axel's grip, took the other's hand, falling into a steady pace beside him. He didn't see Axel's questioning look or smile, just held on tight as they entered the gym-like room filled with hundreds of other students. Riku tightened his grip on Axel's hand, pulling close to the older boy's side. He didn't like this at all, it was too loud and too crowded. Suddenly he felt rather sick to his stomach, and tried to reach back for Naminé. "Who you reaching for?" Axel asked teasingly, "There's no one there."

Riku pulled back his hand, blushing slightly. "I need to get some air…"

Demyx, pulling out of Axel's grasp, called as he walked off, "I'm going to go get in line with Zexion, see you two outside?"

"Okay!" Axel called back, gently pulling Riku along with him, watching the boy's reactions. Riku didn't seem to mind at all, in fact, if at all possible he stepped closer, seeming scared of the chaos around him. Axel wove a trail through the mass of students, finding the side doors and pushing his way to the outside, Riku right behind him. The sun was beaming down in all it's glory, instantly heating the blind boy's skin, the wind tossing his long hair. Axel led him across and down slightly to a shaded dip between two large oak trees. He let go of Riku's hand, sitting down on the edge of the dip, reclining back as if in a chair. He looked up at Riku, trying to search his eyes, but failing to do so through his dark sunglasses. "You gonna sit?"

Riku nodded, reaching out to touch the trunk of the tree, fingertips brushing the points of Axel's hair, his shoulder, then arm. Sitting down beside him, dip causing him to recline back, he listened to the wind through the leaves, the hum of bumblebees somewhere nearby, shouts of friends to one another. "It's nice out here." He said, smiling to himself. "Reminds me of our spot back home by the lake…"

Sensing it wasn't something Riku really wanted to talk about Axel didn't ask any questions, just watched the boy beside him, eyes roaming his body. He was so stunning. Pretty yet cold and fierce at the same time. He seemed so sure of himself yet back in the cafeteria, when he had nearly clung to Axel's side… "Riku?"

The platinum haired boy turned his head in the direction Axel's voice had come from. "Hn?"

The red head once again wished he could look at the boy's eyes, reaching out to pull the sunglasses off. "Do you ever take these off or what?" Riku didn't understand until he felt Axel's fingertips brush his cheek. He automatically jerked away, pushing Axel's hand from his face and sitting up. Axel pulled back, startled and flushing, sitting up as well. "Sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay," Riku interrupted, "it's a personal thing." He reached up, hand brushing over the tingling spot on his cheek Axel's feather-light touch had left. "I hardly let Naminé touch my face either. I didn't mean to jump."

Axel, looking the boy over, nodded. "Okay…but I mean it when I say I'm sorry. I shouldn't have."

Riku was silent, soft smile playing across his lips. "It's okay really. It's just a paranoia that comes with being blind."

Axel blinked several times, wondering if he had heard right. "Blind? You're blind?" Riku shifted his weight uneasily, nodding. So that explained it! How Riku was acting, how he could write without looking, how he never met anyone's eyes, why he was always wearing those sunglasses... Curious, Axel asked, "So, do you wear those glasses because light hurts? Or is it something else?"

Riku, relaxing a little, replied, "I'm a bit sensitive to light but not very. I was in an accident when I lost my sight, I fell out of a tree." He reached up higher, brushing over the long raised cord he knew passed over his eyes, nose, and down the side of one cheek. "My scar…it's not something you'd want to look at all the time, so I keep it covered up."

Axel nodded slowly, taking it all in. "So that's why Naminé was with you when you came into class that first time, and why you kept touching everything. I thought maybe you were O.C.D. or something."

Riku laughed lightly, reaching out and punching Axel's chest lightly. "That's so nice of you, thinking I'm mental. What I good first impression I must make."

Axel stuck out his tongue at the younger boy, making the sound to go along with it. Riku returned the action until the smell of citrus started his way, vanilla following it. "Demyx is somewhere nearby, Roxas is behind him."

Not understanding, Axel looked around, spotting the two boys coming out of the school, bag lunches and trays in hand. Demyx plopped down in the dip beside Riku, fruity scents radiating off of him. "So, we got bologna-cheese sandwich, PBn'J sandwich, tuna salad sandwich, and last but not least mystery meat covered in something resembling baby puke." He grinned from ear to ear, offering said items. "Which one you want guys?"

Roxas walked past the joker and sat across from Riku, looking over at Axel who was scowling at him in disgust. "What pyro, it's called a salad. They're good for you, and I actually know what it's made of."

"That's rabbit food." The red head replied, making a "yeck" sound. "What do you want Riku?"

"Maybe…the PBn'J?"

"Right on, cuz I want the tuna."

"Fruit cup anyone?" Roxas offered, Riku raising his hand. "Jello?"

Handing Riku the fruit cup, Axel asked, "What kind of jello?"

"Lime."

Axel confiscated it, hiding it behind him as the rest of the gang came over. "Don't mention it to Yuffie!" he hissed, "She'll steal it for sure!"

"What about your mom?" the dark haired girl asked as she sat down beside the older boy, "Hmm? Hmmmm?"

Naminé sat down behind Roxas up against the base of the oak tree, Zexion sitting with her. "Never sit next to crazy girl and foxy over there." He said behind a cupped hand though loud enough that everyone could hear it, eyes dead serious. "They have fought many a battle here in this sacred dip. This poor oak tree has been victim to so many food fights I'm surprised it's still alive." Riku snorted, almost choking on his sandwich, before recovering and hiding his red face from Axel. He could imagine that, a full out war between the two, complete with mystery meat and baby puke sauce. If only Sora were here with him, this would have been great…

-x-x-x-

The brunette and Tasogare stood a distance away from the group under the oak trees, watching them as they laughed and play-fought one another, happy tears coming to the boy's eyes. "I told him we would meet again. I told him it was fate."

"So that's really them? You're the boy they said moved away when they were kids, Riku's best friend?"

Sora nodded, soft brown spikes bouncing with the movement. "I've missed them so much…"

"Maybe you'll have some classes with them, you can say hi aga-"

"I don't know if I want to."

Tasogare looked over at the boy, questions in her eyes. "But all you talked about when you got here was how much you missed them, how depressed you were, how you were so afraid you'd never see them again."

Sora turned away, sighing and looking up at the fluffy clouds drifting across the bright blue sky. "I don't know Taso, it's like…I'm afraid I might loose him again. You know? I couldn't live with that if that ever happened again. I'm scared he might not want to be friends either, considering I left with hardly any warning and haven't seen or spoken to him in five years."

Tasogare's eyes softened, placing one hand lightly on his shoulder as she said, "They miss you; they've said nothing but good things about you. Give it a chance Sora." She pulled away, walking off across the hill. "If this is indeed fate and you pass up this chance you may never get another one again."

Sora turned to watch her go then shifted his gaze back to Riku and Naminé. Roxas was with them, as well as Axel. Should he go over and talk to them as well? What would he say? Kicking idly at the grass beneath his feet he followed after Tasogare, going back inside. He'd find them later. After all, his boyfriend was friends with them already and he was sure Roxas would find a way to introduce them again if Sora couldn't do it himself. Smiling at the thought he disappeared from sight.

Naminé happened to be looking up as Sora began to walk across the grounds and back inside, the blonde girl following his retreating figure with her rouge-colored eyes. "Sora…?" She whispered, Roxas looking up as she said so, capturing her eyes.

So it was the same Sora after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	3. Chakram

Cloud sat nibbling his cooler ranch Doritos, Mindless Self Indulgence's _Backmask_ blaring in his ears. Thrumming his pencil against his open textbook, notepad covered with different texts, he whispered along with the music, " _Play that record backwards and go fuck yourself._ " Guitar solo! Grinning he wrote down a few more sentences, shoved his iPod into his pocket, and gathered his things to leave. Shrugging his worn red and black backpack onto a shoulder he continued munching away, blonde spikes bouncing slightly as he quickened his pace through the crowded halls. Not that he really had anywhere to be for the rest of the day, but he liked walking with a sense of purpose. Zack, another college sophomore he had met last week, waved to him from down the hall. Cloud acknowledged him, waving two fingers in the other's direction before rounding a corner and jumping up a flight of stairs. Reno and Vincent were talking near the doors at the end of the next hallway, or more so the red-head was chattering away while the dark-haired man listened and nodded. Cloud smiled. This college was great, he really enjoyed it already. Thinking to himself about what he could do for the rest of the day he came to a halt beside the two, smirking at Reno as he pulled his headphones from his ears.

"So, you get your homework done for Trig already?"

"No!" the man whined, long fiery ponytail moving back and forth behind him as he shook his head. "I was just telling Vince, it's way too much homework for only the second week! The freaking professor's a madman!"

Vincent's eyebrow twitched over a blood red eye at the shortening of his name but he didn't say anything about it, glaring over at the spunky boy beside him. Cloud grinned, shrugging slightly. "Too bad, I'm all done and was thinking of hitting the mall. You wanna come with?"

Reno, whining as always, looked from Cloud to Vincent then back again. "Well I can do my homework later I guess, I'd much rather hit up the arcade."

"And no one invites me?"

The three turned to see Zack coming up the stairs, running a hand through his jagged black spikes. "I was thinking about raiding _Hot Topic_ before heading over to the party at the park tonight. Some local bands are gonna perform."

"Oh yeah I had almost forgot!" Reno replied, "My kid brother's singing tonight." He smacked his head; fingers trailing down to half-way hide his emerald eyes behind his long fingers. "Thanks for the heads up, I owe you one."

"I figured you had forgotten it." Zack replied, shrugging it off. "You usually do, anyway."

Cloud smiled over at Zack as he came to a halt beside him, looking over at the blonde with a mischievous smile. Said blonde looked away, blushing slightly, "That'd be cool. Let's all go together."

"Yeah! Let's go!" Reno agreed, smiling impishly at his companions.

Vincent nodded, arms crossed leisurely over his chest.

"Then it's settled", Zack replied, walking past Vincent and towards the side doors leading to the student parking lot, "let's meet at the mall in one hour. In the food court, okay?"

Reno and Vincent nodded, the younger waving his goodbye before the two separated and walked off in different directions. Cloud watched them go; turning his eyes back to Zack's retreating figure to see the man had stopped and was looking back at him. He smiled at the blonde, winking, then turned and walked outside. Cloud felt his cheeks warm up again, laughing softly. Maybe the night wasn't going to be so boring after all.

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

"Hey Riku," Axel asked, looking over after taking a bite out of his sandwich, "You doing anything tonight?"

"Not that I know of." Riku replied, diving into his fruit cup. "Why?"

Yuffie, Demyx, and Naminé were talking excitedly to one another while Zexion and Roxas listened, not paying attention to Axel and Riku's conversation. "Well I was wondering…if you wanted to go to this party with me tonight."

Riku turned to face Axel, tilting his head slightly. "It's the first school night and already there's partying going on?"

Axel laughed softly, nudging Riku's shoulder gently with his own. "Yeah man, you're in the big city now. It's a gig at the park, some local bands and shit." Smiling over at the boy, he asked, "You in?"

Riku shrugged. "Sounds good to me, but I don't know if Naminé would want to…"

Axel thought a moment, that reaction putting a damper on his plans. Riku being blind and all, in a new place without a familiar presence, music blaring and people moving about to the beat in a massive blob? Yeah…he could understand why the boy wouldn't want to go without his sister. "Demyx and Zexion are coming; we could all hang out if you go." He leaned in slightly, adding, "I promise I won't leave your side until I have to, then I'll come right back afterwards."

Riku thought about that for a moment, then asked, "Why would you have to leave?"

"I'm in one of the bands, _Chakram_ , that'll be performing tonight. I'll have to go onstage for a few songs sometime while we're there, but Demyx and Zexion won't leave you behind." Waiting patiently for an answer he added, "I'm sure you'd like it, Riku. And if at any time you felt like you wanted to leave I would gladly take you home, no hesitation."

Riku felt a smile tugging the corners of his lips. _Is he trying to pick me up?_ "It sounds sweet, you sure you want me to come along?"

"Definitely." Axel replied, grinning from ear to ear. "You'll get to meet my brother and his friends too. Oh this'll rock the night!"

Riku laughed, smile covering his lips. It sounded like fun, in more ways than one. Plus it would give Riku a chance to go out and explore the city with his friends. _Friends_ … He echoed the word in his mind. Yes, he supposed that they were.

-x-x-x-

Fifth block was P.E. for everyone except Roxas, who broke with the group to go to his Science class. Riku, Axel, Naminé, Yuffie, Demyx, and Zexion were given a full workout for the first fifteen minutes then allowed the rest of the time to entertain themselves. The class passed quickly, sixth block coming in a blur of sound and sensation. Naminé walked Riku back through the halls to the Art class, Axel leading him along gently as Naminé followed alongside. She was giving him slight advice every now and then, redirecting Riku when he strayed too far out of place.

"You have to remember that he doesn't know where the walls, the doors, or the other people are. Pull your arm back, lead him behind you…there you go."

Axel nodded, pulling Riku closer to him as they passed a group of students, the younger boy blushing slightly as his chest brushed Axel's back. "Sorry…"

"It's okay." Axel replied, smiling over his shoulder. "You'll want to be like this tonight, it'll be so packed there won't be room to walk."

Naminé watched Axel and Riku in silence, eyes softening when she noticed her brother's slightly flushed cheeks. _He likes him…that's a first for Riku._ Yuffie had good intuition, maybe Riku really was gay. Then again, Riku wasn't used to people getting so close to him so quickly, so maybe it was just friendship. Naminé silently hoped it really was an attraction; Riku needed someone there for him in ways she couldn't be. Watching the two as they made their way into the Art class she called after her brother, "I'll meet you after school at the flagpole, okay?"

"Okay, Naminé. Bye!" The white haired boy called back, listening to his sister's footsteps as she walked away.

Axel turned to Riku, the boy tilting his head slightly, listening to voices in the room. The red head let go of the other boy's hand, letting his fingertips linger on Riku's, saying softly, "Come sit with me."

Riku complied, following the older boy to the back of the room, pleasant heat prickling his skin. "What is that?" He asked, reaching out in the direction of the source.

Axel gasped and quickly snatched Riku's hand away, but not before the boy managed to touch the tips of his fingers to the smoldering hot oven. He made a small sound as he pulled back his hand, trying to draw away from Axel as well, but the red head held him firmly. "Wait, hold it there. I'll go get some ice." He let Riku's hand go slowly, making sure the pale boy kept it in the same position. "Don't touch it, it's blistering already. I'll be right back."

Riku listened to Axel run out of the room, clutching his burnt hand with his other, trying not to move his fingers. _Well that was brilliant,_ Riku thought to himself, _go ahead and touch the hot thing, try and figure out what it is…stupid…_ Students began filling the seats around him, someone stopping in front of his desk, worry in his voice.

"You okay?"

Riku looked up slightly, nodded, and looked down again, noticing the strawberry shampoo the boy had used. A few years earlier that smell reminded him of his best friend, now it twisted his heart unevenly. "I'm fine, thank you."

The stranger before him was silent then asked in a slightly hurt tone, "Are you really that mad at me, Ri-kun?" Riku lifted his head, blind eyes widening behind his dark shades. "Will you not even look at me?"

"Sora?"

"Hey Sora! Riku!" Demyx called as he entered the classroom, Kurei and Roxas beside him. The blonde walked over to the two silent boys softly, feeling the tension in the air.

Reaching out to wrap one of his arms around his lover, Roxas asked, "You okay So-kun?"

"Sora, is it really…?"

Looking from the brunette to the boy sitting at the desk before him, Roxas nuzzled Sora's cheek in encouragement. "Talk to him Sora." He whispered gently. "You've been waiting all this time to see him again. Don't you want to say something?"

Riku was still slightly in shock, reaching out his hand to touch the flat stomach of the boy before him, not caring that his fingers burned as he did so. "Sora?"

Kurei watched the interaction from a distance, deep purple hair hiding half of his face, electric blue highlights brushing past his golden irises. Demyx looked over at the senior in confusion, questions in his eyes. Kurei just shook his head. Roxas pulled away from Sora, standing by his side, noticing the brunette's confused reaction when Riku still refused to look directly at him. "Riku…is something wrong?" He went down on his knees, soft spikes bouncing slightly as he did so, azure eyes shimmering with worry. "Are you okay?"

Said boy looked away slightly, beginning to say something then sighing and starting over. "The night you left, I was in an accident."

"What kind of an accident?" the younger boy asked, reaching up to touch Riku's arm from where he crouched beside him. "Was it because of me?"

"No!" Riku replied immediately, "No it had nothing to do with you, in no way was it your fault." He shrugged, tilting his head slightly. "I was being careless; don't even remember it actually happening, only the aftermath." He smiled lightly, trying to cover up the sadness in his tone. "I'm fine, really. I just wish I could see you again."

Sora reached up and touched his fingers to Riku's cheek, the boy flinching away slightly. Sora tried again, pressing his warm palm to Riku's smooth cheek, gliding up to grasp the edge of his sunglasses and slowly pulling them off his face. The blind boy pulled away, long bangs falling to hide his eyes, hand rising up to retrieve his glasses. Sora stopped him and reached up once more. Brushing back those long, silky, moonlight tresses the brunette's eyes filled with tears, taking in the long scar crossing Riku's face. It was pale pink, knotting over the edge of one cheek, across his eyelid, the bridge of his nose, the other eyelid, and curving towards his temple. Riku opened his eyes slowly, long eyelashes parting to reveal sky blue irises, clouded gray and white instead of shimmering black and blue-green. Sora, tears beginning to fall down his cheeks, leaned in and wrapped his arms around Riku's neck, burying his face in the other boy's shoulder. Riku tensed slightly then returned the embrace lightly, sad smile tugging his lips upwards.

"It's okay Sora, it's okay… I'm fine, I promise."

Sobbing silently, said boy replied, "I didn't leave you my phone number, my address, nothing. I haven't talked to you in five years, I'm a horrible friend, I-"

"Sora we were twelve and eleven. We didn't think about that sort of thing, it was no one's fault."

"If I had told you sooner I wouldn't have forgotten to give you my information. We could have remained in contact all this time; I wouldn't have left you and Naminé alone…"

Roxas watched the tender exchange with anxiousness shining in his blue eyes, worried about his boyfriend. Kurei and Demyx watched in silence as well, startled when they heard panting behind them. Axel, equipped with a wet paper towel and a small bag of ice, pushed past the two gently, coming to a quick halt when he realized what was going on. Sora, noticing someone was behind him, pulled away from Riku while wiping his cheeks. The red head reached out, brushing Riku's hands, the younger boy taking the towel and ice. Axel, satisfied with his work, watched as Riku pressed the paper towel to his raw fingertips, placing the bag of ice over them. It was then that he realized Riku's glasses were on the desk next to him, not on the boy. He turned, meeting Riku's dead eyes. Startled at first he could only stare back, knowing Riku didn't realize he was looking directly at him. As the initial shock faded and Axel continued to watch Riku's eyes he realized how hauntingly beautiful they were, as was Riku himself. He took a seat next to his friend as the bell rang for class to start, the other boys following suit. Roxas hugged Sora gently, the two sitting down together, Kurei and Demyx gathering around them. The teacher began calling roll.

Axel, leaning in to Riku, asked after a moment, "You okay?"

"Mm-hmm…" Riku replied, brushing his hands over his face, tracing the long corded scar over his eyes, nose, and cheeks. Glancing over towards Axel, he whispered back, "Could you give me my glasses? I don't know where they are…" Axel picked them up off the neighboring desk and handed them to the boy, noticing the sadness in his face.

When Riku took hold of the glasses Axel asked gently, "Why don't you leave them off?"

Riku looked away uneasily, hair falling over this scar. "I don't want other people to see…"

"Why?" Axel asked, taking his hand. "No one's going to think of you any different just because you're blind, none of your real friends anyway." He gave Riku's palm a little squeeze. "Besides, I like to be able to read your emotions. When you wear those things I can't tell a damn thing about what you're thinking."

Riku laughed lightly, nudging Axel's arm. "Who says I want you to know what I'm thinking?"

Axel returned the soft laugh, giving Riku the glasses. The teen hesitated then placed them on top of his books, resolving to put them away later. The red-head beside him watched him affectionately, letting go of his hand after a moment. "Come on; tell me what you want to try. Painting? Sculpting? Do you want some clay?"

Dabbing his blistering fingers with a piece of ice Riku asked, "Is there any charcoal?"

Axel got up and walked off across the room, disappearing behind several groups of talking students. Riku tracked his cinnamon trail, happy when the boy came back to him. "Charcoal and a sketchpad." The older boy announced, smiling mischievously. "What you gonna draw?"

"Your mom." Riku replied, Axel sticking his tongue out at him in retaliation.

"Oh yeah? Your mom was with me last night, and she moaned into next week."

"Ooo, so that was the howling I heard last night." Riku replied without skipping a beat, picking up a charcoal stick. "Way to tap that Axel."

Axel shook his head in mock exasperation. "I know right? My bad." Grinning he added, "But at least I tapped something last night."

Opening his sketchbook and positioning his fingers across the page for guidelines, Riku replied, "Ouch. That's going to leave a mark." and began to draw. Axel watched him with a soft smile across his lips. He really liked Riku; he couldn't wait to take the platinum blonde to the gig that night. Oh yeah, this show was going to be sweet.

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

As soon as Cloud got back to his apartment he went to his bedroom to change, throwing his backpack on the bed. Stripping out of his black hoodie and white undershirt he tossed them onto the bed beside his backpack, kicking off his sneakers and shrugging out of his jeans. Sure this look was casual and great for sitting through long classes, but he wanted to look extra sexy tonight. Zack had practically asked him out when he told the blonde about the party, not to mention that wink. Shuddering, yet in a good way, he moved to his closet and strewed through his many clothes, wondering what to wear. None of his techno clubbing stuff, that was too revealing and he wanted to get Zack to make the first move. He needed something he was comfortable in yet revealed his sexy side. Cloud pulled a few things out of the closet and quickly changed, going to the bathroom to apply some eyeliner.

Turning on the light as he entered he went to his sink, digging through the drawers until he found a black eye pencil. He leaned into the mirror, dragging the liner under his eye back and forth, making a thick dark curve under and out like a wing. Repeating the motion under the other eye he put the liner away, looking at himself in the mirror. His golden blonde hair was perfectly disheveled as always, long streaks passing across his sapphire eyes. His skin-tight sleeveless dark red t-shirt accented the red lining of his bondage pants. Red and black candy-cane striped straps crisscrossed down his legs, black chains hanging from his belt loops across the backs of his hips and legs. A black studded bracelet matched his studded collar, a black devil hoop and ruby stud accenting his left ear. He smiled approvingly, walked back to his room to grab his iPod, wallet, and keys out of his discarded jeans; and then dug through his closet for his black combat boots. He sat down, pulled them on over his socks, then walked back out of his apartment, locked the door behind him on his way out, and got into his car. Taking his phone off the car charger he checked the time, revved up his silver mustang and pulled out of the apartment's parking lot, heading towards the downtown mall. Cloud still had plenty of time to be there and didn't hurry while making his way through town, enjoying the smooth ride in his sports car.

Eventually he pulled into a parking spot to the side of the large building, eyes taking in the neon lights and bright sale signs. The mall had to be twice as big as the college, and the college was huge. Stepping out of his car, locking it, and starting towards the front he heard someone call his name, and turned around. Reno practically knocked him over he was running towards the blonde so quickly, grabbing his arm and pulling him into a trot. "Come on, Vince's waiting for us!"

Looking ahead to where the younger man was pointing Cloud noticed Vincent standing near the entrance, arms crossed as he leaned against the columns supporting the jutting roof. They stopped before him, taking in the other man's appearance. He was wearing a long red trench coat with tattered ends, black jeans and shirt, a golden choker accenting his blood red eyes and long black hair. His boots clipped across the pavement as he stood erect, turning to open the doors. "Zack's inside, talking on the phone."

Cloud saw Reno stiffen slightly, asking, "Is it him again?"

Vincent remained silent, holding the door as Reno and Cloud walked inside. The blonde spotted Zack pacing back and forth slowly a few yards away, whispering into his cell phone. "…there's a gig tonight, you gonna show?" There was a long pause, Cloud watching Zack's expression flash to anger, then fade back to indifference. "You don't have to be an ass about it, just though I'd ask. It has nothing to do with me, I already told you, we're through."

"Yeah, that's him alright." Reno muttered, the blonde looking over at him.

"Who is it?"

Vincent and Reno exchanged a glance then the red head replied, "Maybe you should ask Zack about it later, you know?'

Cloud blinked then nodded, eyes brushing along Reno's dark blue blouse and tight black pants before returning to Zack. The man was wearing dark purple bondage pants, silver and black highlighting the seams and various pockets. Silver chains hung from his waist, wrapping down one leg. His black shirt was sporting a purple rose on one shoulder, the petals falling across the front of the shirt. The dark haired boy had noticed their presence and waved, saying in response to something his caller had said, "I know that, but it doesn't change anything. Look, I've got to go okay? I'll call you in a few days. Bye." He took his phone from his ear, closing it and shoving it back in his pocket. Turning, he tilted his head, shoving his hands in the back pockets of his dark purple pants. "Coming?"

Reno nodded, walking up to the other man, punching his shoulder lightly. "You got to tell him to stop calling you, ya know?"

Zack smiled lightly, eyes thoughtful. "I know." Vincent and Cloud walked over to the two, Reno and the silent boy walking ahead as Cloud and Zack stepped into stride. "Sorry if I kept you waiting."

"No! It's fine." Cloud replied, smiling gently. "You okay?"

Zack's eyes softened and he nodded. "Just thinking, but it'll pass. You ready for the shit that's going down tonight?"

Cloud laughed, sapphire eyes sparkling under long eyelashes. "Can't wait."

-x-x-x-

Reno squealed as he walked into the candy store, dragging Vincent along behind him. Cloud and Zack stood nearby the store's entrance, _Hot Topic_ and _Spencers_ ' bags filling their hands. Zack tossed one of the things over his shoulder casually, looking slightly annoyed. "And why are we being bus boys for those two?"

"Because Vincent's the only one confident enough in his sexuality to be dragged around by Reno into a candy shop with him squealing like a little girl." Cloud replied, watching the obviously gay man bouncing around the store, the obviously strait one watching.

Zack chuckled, "Well I suppose that's true." He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, chains clinking together as he did so. "I'm sure as hell not going in there, at least not with Reno."

"He said we were going to meet his brother tonight?"

"Yeah," Zack replied, capturing the blonde's eyes, "at the gig at the park. We're meeting up with him there sometime or another, no set plans cuz we don't know exactly when he's performing." With a grin he added, "Why, you like 'em young?"

Knowing Zack was only teasing him, Cloud replied, "Oh yeah, I love jail bait. Lovely, red-headed jail bait."

"Wha-?" Reno asked as he came up beside the blonde, a package of gummy worms and chocolate covered strawberries in his hands. "I'm not jail bait."

Vincent coughed suddenly, covering his rare smile. "I don't think they were talking about you, Reno."

"Yeah, only your mind's underage." Zack replied, waving it off.

"Hey!"

Cloud patted Reno's shoulder. "He's right bro, I'm sorry, I'm just not into you."

Reno pouted for a moment before grabbing a chocolate covered strawberry and shoving it in Cloud's mouth. The blonde pulled away with a muffled laugh, biting into the treat and looking over at the dark-haired man beside him, deciding to put on a show. Zack, amethyst eyes shining, watched the slow seduction with a knowing grin; Cloud licking his lips then taking another bite, eyelashes batting over his blue irises, hips curved at just the right angle for a strip of skin to show between his shirt and bondage pants. Zack noticed these details appreciatively, Cloud licking his fingers to rid himself of the remaining chocolate, subtly sucking his long pale fingers. He turned to Reno, took a gummy worm, then walked off, bags in hand. _Damn that was hot…_ Zack thought to himself, making a mental note to return to the sweet shop sometime when he and the blonde were alone. _That would make a date interesting._

Was this a date? Had he asked the new kid out? He followed after Cloud, watching the way his pants cupped his ass when he walked, the tightness of the boy's shirt across his back and abs. Reno and Vincent walked beside him, talking about something he didn't comprehend, until he heard _his_ name escape from Reno. "Look, why don't we just drop it." The dark haired man asked, looking over at the two. "It's over, it's done. I'm fine, really."

The red head eyed him suspiciously, looking for any sense of the other's emotions. "I don't like it that he's calling you again."

"I don't like it either," Zack replied, "but it's complicated." He looked back the way he was walking, focusing on the carpet at his feet. "A part of me still wants to be with him."

"…and a part of me still wants to punch him." Reno added, "But hell, he ran away before I got the chance. He left you, and me, and everyone else Zack. He doesn't deserve to talk to you. Tell him to back off."

Zack, not replying, nodded. Reno, content with that as a reply, began another conversation with Vincent, only this time it was about various different kinds of candy. Zack went back to watching Cloud before him, a smile crossing his face as the blonde man looked at him over his shoulder. _Maybe someone else can fill the place I'm wishing_ he _would fill, then there would be no reason for me to hang onto him any longer. He broke my heart…I need to let him go._ He quickened his pace to where he was walking side by side with Cloud, asking, "So, I was wondering, you wanna ride with me to the party?"

Cloud, somewhat surprised, asked, "What you drive?"

"A viper."

"Hells yes I will!" Cloud replied, grin covering his face. "Will you let me drive it?"

"I don't love you that much."

Cloud pouted, making puppy eyes. Zack burst out laughing, the blonde returning to his normal features. "What!" he demanded, "I thought I would try!"

Wiping tears from the corners of his eyes Zack replied, "That was just too cute, you are so cute and I didn't even realize!"

"I am not cute!" he replied, "My sister, Naminé, is cute! Guys are not cute!" He bit into a gummy worm, looking insulted, a smile tugging the corners of his mouth. "Besides, I'd do just about anything to drive that viper."

Zack, returning the smile, asked, "So, you'd admit to being cute?"

"Hn, maybe."

-x-x-x-

Cloud left his car at the mall, Zack ensuring him the mustang would be fine, pointing out various cameras and the lights that would be shining down on it that night. There was no way in hell anyone could steal anything out of this parking lot without getting a strait ticket to jail. Cloud, instead, was sitting in the driver's seat of Zack's bright red viper, M.S.I. blaring in his ears. Zack watched him silently, mischievous grin across his face. This Cloud was a character he wanted to know more about and get closer to. Reaching over he pulled a headphone off of Cloud's ear. "You enjoying yourself?" he asked, the blonde glancing over at him before returning to the road.

"Most definitely." The blonde replied, turning onto another street as he made his way towards the park. "Thanks for letting me drive."

"Thanks for admitting you're cute."

Cloud reached over and punched him playfully. "Shut up about that."

"Why? You know you are."

The younger boy blushed slightly, turning another corner then stopping at the red light he came to. "If you're going to say something like that then say it in a more manly way, like "you're hot", or "sexy". Cute makes me sound so…so…"

"So…cute?" Zack questioned as the light turned green, Cloud pressing down on the gas petal.

"If I wasn't driving I'd hit you."

"Which is another reason why you're doing so."

Reno was standing by his dark green solstice when Cloud arrived at the park, Vincent pulling into a parking space beside him. The blue firebird's front door opened, Vincent stepping out and closing then locking it behind him, watching Cloud and Zack copy his movements as they exited the red viper. The park was already filled with people thought the bands wouldn't start playing until later that night. "Let's go find someplace to chill until everyone else gets out of school." The red-head said as the other three men walked over, standing from where he was leaning against his hood and walking off towards a line of trees near the middle of the crowded park. Vincent followed after him, Zack and Cloud walking close behind.

"So…you gonna hit me if I say you're cute again?"

Cloud looked over at the dark haired man, eyebrow raised. "Do you want me to hit you?"

"Maybe."

"Then no, I probably won't."

Flashing a grin, Zack replied, "Then you're cute."

Cloud narrowed his eyes slightly, lips curving into a malicious grin. Raising his fist he started after the other boy, who backed away, hands up defensively.

"But you said you wouldn't hit me!"

"I said _probably_ …"

Zack took off running, Cloud dashing after him, the sound of chains hitting other chains following them as they dashed through the park, both laughing the whole way.

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

About halfway through sixth block Riku turned around in his seat, asking the brunette behind him, "So…how have things been?"

Sora looked up from his conversation with Roxas, slightly caught off guard by the sudden question. "Umm, fine I guess. You?"

Riku nodded, "Everyone's been fine; me, Naminé, Cloud…"

"Naminé," Sora replied, "I had her in an earlier class today but didn't talk to her. She's okay?"

Nodding, the blind boy replied, "She's great. Drawing as always."

Sora smiled, Roxas reaching over and linking his hand with the boy's. "That's good."

After a slight pause Demyx asked, "So, you two were friends when you were kids?"

"That's right, we grew up together." Sora replied, "We were best friends, we did everything together."

"So this Riku is the Riku you used to tell us about right after you moved here?" Axel asked, joining the conversation. Riku turned towards him slightly, listening as the red-head continued with, "Back when you were all depressed and shit because of leaving without getting to really say goodbye, and tried to-"

Roxas shot him a warning glance, Sora looking away. Axel stopped what he was saying, understanding the jester. "Back when what?" Riku asked, "Did something happen?"

"It's nothing." Sora replied, reaching over and touching Riku's arm.

The older boy took the brunette's hand in his, wishing he could see the expressions on Sora's face. He could tell there was something there, something he wasn't getting, but he didn't press it any further. "I'm glad I found you again. I missed you Sora."

Smiling sweetly, eyes watering slightly, said boy replied, "I missed you too Riku."

Silence pursued, until Axel clapped his hands together lightly and said, "Now, on a completely different note, who's coming to see me tonight!"

Demyx raised his hand. "Me for sure!"

Kurei nodded, "Yuffie and I are going together. I'm pretty sure Zexion is coming too."

Roxas, squeezing Sora's other hand, replied, "I'm up for a dance or two."

The brunette nodded. "Me too."

"Then let's all go together!" Axel exclaimed, excitement across his face. Riku let go of Sora's hand and smiled over at the shouting boy, unconsciously catching his eyes again. Axel blushed slightly, heart skipping a beat.

"Yeah," Riku replied, eyes softening, "let's."


	4. Deconstructed

Sixth block came and went, seventh block going in a blur as well, the teacher spending the whole first day having the students introduce themselves and putting them into groups for later projects. The class name was "Comparative Religion", a college class that had just been moved into the high school, and the teacher was a nutcase. In an entertaining way. Axel was sitting to the left of Riku, Sora to Riku's right and Roxas next to Sora. Zexion and Tasogare were in front of them, talking about various aspects of religion in different cultures. Riku couldn't believe they actually knew what they were talking about, Tasogare especially. Axel kept making funny comments about how the professor was dressed and the poses he was making at Taso's objections to his views on certain aspects of Dualism. Riku had to cough a few times to keep from laughing when Axel described the wiry man as about to launch into orbit before his head would explode. Sora was watching the pale, blind boy affectionately, torn between the sadness and guilt overwhelming him and the happiness he felt at seeing Riku again. Roxas was holding his hand silently, leaving the brunette to his own thoughts. The bell rang for the end of the school day, and everyone went to their lockers for their homework and backpacks then met back up at the flagpole.

Axel managed to lead Riku back down the crowded hallways and down the first half of the outside stairs without any accidents, the younger boy holding his hand tightly. Naminé's voice greeted him, caramel and laughter filling his senses. Strawberry and vanilla were mingling somewhere nearby, as well as orangey-citrus, butterscotch, and coffee. The seniors weren't there yet it seemed, and Riku returned Naminé's embrace as she pulled him away from Axel.

"So how was it? Everything okay?"

Riku nodded, a smile across his lips. "Everything was great, did you see Sora?"

Naminé giggled, squeezing Riku's fingertips lightly. "Yes! He looks great! His hair's as insane as ever, I thought he might grow out of it…"

Riku laughed lightly, then asked, "Hey Naminé, Axel and the others are going to a party at the park tonight and wanted me to come..." He tilted his head, wondering what his sister's expression was. "Do you want to go with me?"

Naminé hesitated, she had never been one for the more scene crowd. She liked her art and her books and her soft music, she didn't know if she could handle a party at the moment, especially on the first school night. "If I didn't go, would you be okay without me?"

Riku nodded, "Axel's going to take me. He's going to be clinging to me like a lemur, he won't leave my side." Riku shrugged, "Besides, I didn't think you would want to go, and I'll call you if anything happens."

"I know you will." Naminé replied, pulling away and heaving her backpack up higher on her shoulders. "I'll come and get you if you want me to, when it's over with."

"I'll take him home." Axel spoke up, Naminé looking over at him. "I mean, that is if Riku wants me to."

Riku turned his head slightly, moving from caramel to cinnamon then back again. "It's fine; it'll be late and I wouldn't want you to wake up just to come get me unless you had to." He reached out and brushed his hand against Naminé's arm, trying to sense if she was tense or not. "If Axel says he'll take me home then that's fine with me."

Naminé, feeling the light gesture, replied, "Alright, but call me if you need me for anything, okay?"

"You know I will." Riku replied, the petite girl hugging him again then walking off, calling, "I'm going to the library until nightfall, then I'll be home waiting for you, okay?"

"Okay, have fun." Riku replied, smiling. That was Naminé's version of a hot gig, spending a few hours surrounded by books.

Axel walked up to Riku's side, brushing his hand against Riku's, the blind boy taking it casually. "A lemur, huh?"

Riku coughed, trying to hide his smile. "Well, you know, she likes cute, fuzzy, un-intimidating creatures. If I told her you were a rock star she's automatically think drugs, sex, alcohol…"

"I'm a singer in a local band, not a rock star." Axel replied, nudging Riku before leading him over to the rest of the group. Yuffie and Demyx were laughing about something as Zexion repeatedly denied the accusation, Sora laughing lightly as Roxas held him protectively. The brunette looked up as the red-head and Riku drew closer, pulling away from Roxas lightly to go to the older boy.

Axel stopped as Sora walked over to him, Riku at his side. The red head looked from the platinum blonde to the brunette then said, "I'm going to go ask Zexion something real quick, okay?" to the boy beside him.

Riku seemed somewhat confused but nodded, Axel releasing his hand and walking over to the group a couple yards away. Sora hesitated a moment, reached out and touched Riku's arm, and said, "So I'll see you tonight, right?"

"Yeah." Riku replied, "Why…you okay?" Sora hesitated and Riku reached up to take Sora's hand from his arm, feeling the tension in his movements.

"There's something I want to talk to you about, but later, okay?"

"O-okay…"

Sora didn't say anything else, though he acted like he wanted to. Roxas walked over to them a few moments later, said something softly to Sora, and then walked off in the direction of the parking lot. A slight pause later the brunette said, "I'm going to go, but I'll see you tonight, okay?"

Riku nodded, confused by the way Sora was acting, and released the boy's hand, listening to him go. There was something different about the hyper, outgoing boy. He seemed so hurt, so broken. What had happened to make his friend act this way? The sadness in his voice had almost hurt Riku. What was it that the boy needed to tell him that was bothering him so much?

Demyx walked up to Riku, Yuffie laughing at his side. The peppy girl hooked her arm in Riku's saying, "So now that the emo couple's left let's get to the partying!"

Scowling slightly Zexion said from behind her, "They are not emo, they're just quieter that you are."

Yuffie stuck her tongue out at him, tugging Riku along as she descended the stairs to the parking lot. Axel walked up to Riku's other side, taking his hand for the boy to use as balance. Riku twined his fingers with the red head's, listening to Yuffie chatter on about the bands appearing at the gig tonight, the people she knew would be there, and her favorite singers. Demyx and Zexion were commenting from behind her, the two boys stepping into rhythm as they headed for their cars. Chocolate greeted Riku's nose as Yuffie stopped and released him, bouncing over to Kurei who was waiting for her by his car. "See you soon guys!"

"Yeah, in a bit!" Demyx called from down the row, Axel waving at the retreating boys then turning to the senior before him.

Kurei nodded to him, saying, "Yuffie and I are going to head over to the park to get a good spot for tonight. Look for us when you get there, okay?"

Axel nodded back, smiling. "Sure thing. I've got to go home and change, then we'll be there." Tugging Riku lightly he walked away, calling over his shoulder, "Look for Reno; he's probably by the tree line with the others."

"You got it." Kurei replied, he and Yuffie getting into the car then driving off, Zexion and Demyx following them.

Axel and Riku walked across the parking lot to where Axel's black hummer was parked before Riku asked, "Did Sora seem strange to you today?"

Letting go of Riku's hand, watching the younger boy feel his way across the side of the vehicle and stop at the handle of the passenger side door, Axel replied, "Not really. He actually seemed a bit happier than normal. He and Roxas are usually pretty quiet, though they're friendly and all." Riku opened the door and felt around inside, then hoisted himself up into the seat, shutting the door behind him. Axel walked around, got into the drivers seat and revved up the engine, backing out of the parking space and driving off in the direction of his house. "Why, did something seem strange about him?"

Riku didn't say anything for a moment, then replied, "I know it's the same Sora, but he's so different from the boy I knew. My Sora was carefree, constantly happy, hyper, bouncy…"

"Like Yuffie?"

"Yeah, I guess so." Riku replied. "She acts a lot like he used to, back when I knew him well."

Axel blinked a few times, sighing lightly. "I've seen that side of Sora a few times when he's around Roxas, that guy's really brought the best out of him, but it's a rarity." Axel turned a corner, passing into a large neighborhood full of fancy houses, slowing down as he neared his home. "He's usually quiet and stays to himself, Roxas is the only person I really ever see him talk to."

"Roxas…" Sora thought a moment, remembering what Yuffie had said. "Sora and Roxas are together?"

"You mean going out?" Axel asked as he pulled into a long curving driveway, coming to a halt in front of a tall Victorian house surrounded by a large twisting gate. "They've officially been dating for maybe five or six months, but they've been closer than friends for a while now. It took Roxas a long time to get close to Sora. He had closed himself off from other people." Riku nodded slowly, letting that soak in. Sora was gay, not that it bothered him or anything. By the way Sora had acted around him when they were younger Riku had already suspected that. Roxas seemed like he was a nice guy, very loving and protective. He was glad the younger boy had found someone. That was more than Riku could say about himself. Axel watched the other boy for a long moment before saying, "We're here, want to come in with me?"

Riku snapped out of his thoughts, stepping out of the car with a slight blush across his cheeks. He was thinking more about Sora's relationships than he was the current events going on. They were going to a party! Axel was going to sing! There was going to be music and dancing and all of his new friends were going to be there. He pushed Sora to the back of his mind, saving those thoughts for later. Only one thing stuck out slightly and made him wonder, worry making a small knot in the pit of his stomach. The way Sora had said he wanted to talk to him… Axel took Riku's hand and led him up to the house, one of the attendants opening the doors for them when they went inside. If the young guest could have seen the interior of Axel's house he would have been gaping in awe, but since the boy was blind he didn't hesitate in following the other boy through the house. They ascended a long flight of stairs curving up half of the massive wall of the center room leading to the wing belonging to the youngest master of the house.

Riku listened to footsteps and muted whispers as the two boys walked by, pulling in closer to Axel. The older boy looked down at the boy behind him, smiling gently. "Don't worry, it's nothing. Just the maids, and they're not talking about us, only the latest gossip." At that comment the two nearest to them looked up and giggled, walking further down an adjacent hallway, tittering away once more.

Riku, slightly relieved, replied, "I was wondering why there were so many quiet people in your house…or should I say mansion. How long have we been walking again? Water…I need water…"

Axel rolled his eyes, smile playing across his lips. "We're only on the second floor, and my room's right over here." He turned the corner, the hall opening up into a large room with a cathedral ceiling, an ornate door decorating the far side of the wall. Lavender and cinnamon reached Riku as they walked through the room and into Axel's, the red head shutting his door behind them. "I had forgotten I left the windows open…" Letting go of Riku's hand he crossed the room and pulled the large stained glass windows closed, the swirled colors painting Axel's room a mixture of red and honey gold. A constant sunset, Axel's favorite time caught between daylight and night. Riku reached out and took a few steps before coming in contact with the edge of a table, sliding his fingers across the smooth glass and the edges of the blown-up photographs littering its surface. Axel watched the boy, warm colors softening his pale curves and long white hair, eyes glittering amber when Riku turned to look at him.

"What are these pictures of?"

Axel walked over to the boy, looking down at the various assortments lain out across the glass. "Dashilaw in various places, at sunset and sunrise. Some pics of the band, friends, other random stuff…"

Riku took his hand away, reaching out for Axel. His hand met with the fabric of the red-head's shirt and the boy asked, "What are you going to change into?"

Axel, pulling his eyes away from Riku, replied, "I don't exactly know, just not this." He made a yucky expression at his outfit then led the other boy across his room and to the bed, leaving him there to go raid through his closet.

The blind boy reached out, feeling across the comforter and cool pillows, sitting down lightly. The mattress was heaven. He leaned back, letting himself fall onto the bed, bouncing lightly as he listening to Axel search through his clothes. _His house must be nice…_ Riku thought, hand reaching out to dance across the pillows before brushing along the comforter to rest by his face. Axel was mumbling something as he sifted through clothes, throwing a few articles to the floor, along with a pair of worn sneakers and a random hat. Not understanding what the older boy had said, Riku asked as he sat up partially, "What did you say?"

Axel, pulling his head out of the closet, repeated, "I can't find the pants I deconstructed for the gig…I shredded them last night, laid them out over there somewhere, but the maids must have moved it. I think it's somewhere in here…" He disappeared again, looking through his closet.

Riku listened to the other boy's random comments to himself about where his pants could be, sighing and laying back across the bed as he let memories drift through his mind. He was trying not to think about Sora, but the more he tried not to the more he ended up remembering. Sora smiling at him from the willow tree, squirting him with a water gun, drawing in the floor with Naminé, being the sweet, innocent kid he was. But now…

"Found them!" Riku jumped slightly, turning towards the exclamation. Axel walked over, plopping down on the bed beside him. "I hate it when they move things around in my room, when it's clean I can never find anything."

"I know the feeling." The younger boy replied, Axel smiling down at him. "So what tortures did you put these pants through?" The red head smirked, offering the tattered jeans to the other boy. Riku felt along the fabric, noting various tears and different textures. Axel had completely ruined them, but it was a fashion statement wasn't it? "Do they look good?" Riku asked as Axel took them from him, getting off of the bed and stripping down to apply his new wardrobe.

"They look radical." Axel replied, pulling said jeans on then grabbing a shirt off of the floor and tugging it on over his messy spikes. It was one of his favorite shirts, a Blink 182 he had messed with a bit, and the bright yellow and pink against black matched the paint and stitching woven into his rugged pants. Worn black sneakers were pulled onto his feet before he looked over at Riku again, taking in the boy's Goth-like attire. For someone who couldn't see his reflection when getting ready in the morning he sure knew how to style.

Sensing Axel was watching him Riku looked up slightly, capturing the red-head's eyes for a moment before blindly searching the room. The action made Axel's heart twist slightly, looking away from the other boy and walking over to his dresser to re-apply his black fingernail polish. Riku sat up, following Axel's movements by sound, and asked after a while, "What type of music do you sing?"

Axel looked over, waving his left hand back and forth so the polish would dry faster. "A bit of everything, we usually just mix up already famous songs. There are some originals we've been working on, but I don't know exactly what we'll be singing tonight. _Chakram_ usually just wings it."

"I see." Riku replied, thinking for a moment. "Do you sing things from bands like _Deadstar Assembly_ or _System of a Down_?"

"A few from _System_ , I've never heard of the other one. Lately we've been mixing some _Blink_ and _Panic! At The Disco_."

Riku nodded approvingly, "I like _Panic!_ , and _Freezepop_. My brother got me hooked on techno."

Axel, smiling, finished his nails and walked over to the boy. Taking Riku's hand he guided him back through the bedroom, grabbing his keys and wallet as he went. "I'll see if I can hook you up. I like _Panic!_ too."

Riku smiled, letting Axel lead him back through his expansive house, down the stairs, and back to the hummer. They got into the car, Riku teasing Axel about singing _Lying Is The Most Fun A Girl Can Have With Her Clothes On_. Axel was repeatedly talking his way out of such an act, saying he had enough stalkers as it was without singing something like that.

"Oh but I'm sure everyone would like it!" Riku said, poking Axel's side gently.

"That's what I'm afraid of," Axel replied, "someone liking it a bit too much and coming after me, saying I provoked them!"

Laughing, the younger boy shook his head. "Can't handle being a rock star…"

"If I was a rock star I would have been ass raped repeatedly by now." Axel playfully retorted. "Seriously. Apparently _Chakram_ 's good or something; I've been groped by random people I don't know how many times."

"And how are you dressed again?"

"Not like candy in a wrapper!"

"Not even a slightly suggestive wrapper?"

Axel laughed, taking Riku's hand and placing it on his chest. "Feel for yourself. I'm wearing regular clothes, honest."

Riku hesitated, smile across his lips, before gently brushing his hands across Axel's chest, feeling the soft material of the shirt, then suddenly a hard place to one side of the boy's torso. "What's this?" He asked, rubbing it gently.

Axel blushed slightly. "My nipple's pierced."

Riku blinked, pulling his hand away. "Really? Is it just this one?"

"No, both." The red-head replied, turning onto another street and going under a light that had just turned red. Checking his mirrors quickly, sighing when there was no sign of a cop, Axel added, "I got them done for my birthday last month, the big one-seven. I thought I'd do something drastic, so on my eighteenth birthday I'd have to do something even crazier that before."

"Interesting." Riku replied. "Didn't it hurt?"

"Not really." The other boy replied, leaving out the thought that he had actually kind of liked it.

"That's interesting; I figured it'd be pretty bad. I guess it would be worse for a girl tho…"

Axel, turning into the park, replied teasingly, "I'll let you play with them sometime, since you seem so interested."

Riku blushed slightly, "Who said I was interested?"

Axel didn't reply, just grinned like a Cheshire cat as he pulled into a parking space, then turned off and got out of the hummer. Riku followed suit, sudden noise assaulting his ears as he opened the door and stepped down. He closed the door and leaned against the car for a moment, trying to get the jumbled sounds to make sense. He picked out laughter, footsteps, a band warming up somewhere nearby. Cars were honking every now and then, people shouting across the way to friends, getting ready to par-tay. Axel brushed Riku's arm, startling the boy. "You okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine," Riku replied, taking the older boy's hand, "It just takes me a minute to get used to things like this."

Axel nodded, surveying the surrounding area for familiar faces. Demyx, Zexion, and a few other kids from school were chatting nearby. He didn't see Roxas or Sora, though he supposed they were with Kurei and Yuffie, who were supposed to be hanging out with his older brother. He looked over towards the center of the park to the grove of trees Reno and his friends liked to hang out at, narrowing his eyes to span the distance clearly. Sure enough among the other various groups of people gathering there he spotted his brother's long fiery ponytail walking amongst the trees. "I see my brother, want to head over?"

Riku nodded, standing from the car, holding onto the other boy as Axel led him slightly in his shadow.

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

Cloud eventually stopped threatening Zack; though both boys continued to playfully tease one another. The blonde ignored the older boy for a while, who came up behind him and tickled him, which resulted in another failed attack against the dark-headed man. Reno was running around saying hello to people, Vincent talking with Aerith and Leon nearby. Steadily a group of people began gathering at their spot among the trees, the bands warming up, younger kids arriving as school let out. Zack was sitting down against a tree, Cloud next to him Indian-style, the two of them talking casually when a girl and a boy walked up, Reno greeting them warmly.

"Yuffie! Kurei! Good to see you guys!"

The dark haired girl replied just as bubbly, "I know, right! Can't wait for the bands to begin! Axel's gonna be hot tonight!"

Reno, laughing at her excitement, replied, "No doubt, but where is Axel?"

"He went home to change." Yuffie replied, "Took the new kid with him."

"New kid?" Reno asked, quirking an eyebrow.

Kurei smirked, "Axel's got a hot date tonight, or didn't you know?"

Reno pouted, looking over at the golden-eyed boy. "A date huh?"

"Yeah, he's a catch too." Yuffie said, poking Reno while grinning, "Where's your date Reno?"

Crossing his arms over his chest he replied, "I don't need one; I'm hot enough on my own!"

"You're here with Vincent again aren't you?" Kurei sighed, shaking his head playfully.

Said man looked up from his conversation, eyebrow twitching. Leon and Aerith watched him in amusement before the three of them returned to their conversation, forgetting about the comment.

Reno didn't reply to the obvious, instead looking to Yuffie. "So who is this new kid? I get to meet him tonight right?"

"I would think so, he'll be the one covered in Axel's drool, following him around." The girl replied, brown eyes sparkling. "I don't think Riku realizes it, but Axel's been looking at him in that funny ga-ga way all day long, and they've only just met."

Cloud immediately tuned into the conversation. "Wait, who did you say?"

Yuffie looked over at the blonde guy, tilting her head slightly. "What, Riku?"

A smile crossed Cloud's face, sapphire eyes looking over at Reno. "Your kid brother's got the hots for mine."

Reno let out a long, "Wha-a-a-a?" looking at Cloud like he was the anti-Christ. "You never told me you had a little brother!"

"And a little sister," Cloud added. "I never said anything because no one's ever asked."

"He'd be too young for you anyway," Zack added, "You need to find someone older, more mature, so they can make up for the brain waves you let wander."

Reno stuck out his tongue at the older man, Cloud grinning over at Zack. _That's something I would say._ He thought, looking the darker man over. Zack caught his eyes, making Cloud look away with a slight blush. That was all he needed, to be caught staring like that. Talk about drooling all over; so not cool. He returned to being aloof, listening to Reno and Yuffie's conversation about the bands that would be performing soon. He couldn't wait to see Riku, what had it been, a full week? He wondered how his little bro had liked his first day of school, and what he thought about all these new people and Reno's kid brother. _Axel…_ Cloud mentally stored the name. If anything _did_ happen between those two and the boy did something to hurt his Riku, he'd know who it was he needed to beat the crap out of later.

Pushing that aside he allowed the man beside him to grab his arm, pulling him back against his chest playfully. The blonde blushed slightly, looking over at Zack with an eyebrow raised, teasing in his eyes. "You're so sexy." The older man said softly, watching the flustered reaction the blonde in his arms resumed.

"What happened to cute?" Cloud asked, resting his back lightly against the curve of Zack's torso and arm.

"You can be cute if you'd prefer."

"I didn't say that…"

"You're so _cute_ ,"

"I didn't-"

"-and sweet,"

"Zack, you know I-"

"-and adorable…"

The blonde rolled his eyes, pulling away and looking at the other man. The violet eyed boy was watching him, mischief dancing in his irises, an impish smile curving his lips. "Are you going to be calling me cute all night?" the younger asked, searching his eyes.

Holding up his hands defensively Zack replied, "I can't help it, I call it as I see it."

Cloud turned to face away from the other man, leaning back into his arms again. "Then _I'm_ calling this as I see it; you're going to be my sofa for the night."

"Oh, a sofa am I?"

"Yes," the blonde replied, looking over his shoulder at Zack, "a nice, plush one too."

Mocking offense the man exclaimed, "Are you calling me fat?"

"Maybe…" Cloud teased, reaching back to pinch the older man's stomach.

Yuffie and Reno were silently watching, Kurei joining in on Vincent's conversation. The dark haired girl and red headed man exchanged a glance. Zack had it on for Cloud, it was obvious, and from the way Cloud was reacting to Zack's teasing the blonde seemed to return the attraction. "Do you think maybe those two are gonna hook up?" Yuffie asked, mahogany eyes looking up into Reno's jade.

"If that did happen it'd make the lot of us feel better about you know who."

Yuffie's eyes narrowed. "Is he calling again?"

Reno nodded, looking back over at the two flirting boys. "Earlier today, when we were at the mall. Zack was asking him if he was coming to the gig tonight…I don't know what he said in response, so I don't know if we should be looking out for him tonight or not." Tilting his head slightly he added, "Though if Zack's paying this much attention to Cloud all night I don't think Sephiroth will be a problem." He met eyes with Yuffie again. "I didn't hear anything about _One Winged Angel_ **(1)** performing tonight, so maybe he won't show."

"Me neither, they're almost too popular now to come to parties like this. We'd be swamped out." Putting her hands behind her head leisurely Yuffie pouted. "Sucks that such an asshole has so many adoring fans, you know?"

Reno nodded absently, turning to join the conversation behind them, Leon and Aerith laughing at something Kurei had said. The auburn-haired woman had tears in the corners of her eyes, trying to breathe through her laughter. The chocolate-headed man was shaking his head, sighing exasperatedly. Yuffie walked over with Reno, asking, "Do we even want to know?"

"No! No you don't…" Leon replied, "Kurei you psycho, that's horrible."

The golden eyed boy shrugged, grinning. "Can't help it. Grew up with Taso."

"That would explain the insanity." Aerith teased. "Tasogare didn't want to come?"

Kurei cocked his head, rolling his eyes as he replied, "She said she'd rather spend the night at the library. Wasn't in one of her partying moods."

The five continued their conversation, waiting for the others to arrive, while Zack continued to protest to being called a sofa and Cloud continued to insist he was. The slightest tinge of darkness was deepening the sky, an orange glow taking over the sky blue to fight back the black. A guitarist warmed up with a few cords somewhere nearby, microphones squealing as they were tested, people steadily filling the park. The stage platform had been set up directly beside the grove of trees, they had the perfect view. All there was left to do was wait for nightfall and the rest of the gang to show up. The party had nearly begun.

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

Naminé loved Dashilaw's library. It reminded her of the library in Beast's castle from the bedtime story of _Beauty and the Beast_. There weren't walls, there were just shelves of books, tall rolling ladders cascading down their cherry-colored frames. It was a nice, kept library, but it had the musty smell of read books and old parchment. She ascended a spiraling staircase nearby, rouge eyes dancing across the spines of the candies before her. She was a kid in a sweet shop, and ungodly massive sweet shop. The first time she had stumbled across the library had been one day earlier that week when she had been taking Riku around town, telling him the layout of their new city. At that time she had only peeked inside. Now, walking through the columns of manuscripts, ranging from children's novels to tomes from decades ago, she was in a blissful state of awe. It was her dream house. She could live here forever. Forget food, water, and sleep. She's died and gone to heaven. Then again, she couldn't just leave Riku and stay at the library forever…besides, it closed at ten p.m.. At least she could hide out in one of the huge comfy chairs with a pile of books beside her until then. It would keep her mind off of things she didn't want to think about, like how the five years they had been apart had so drastically changed Sora. She hated lying to her brother, but there were some things he didn't need to know…not about the scars across the brunette's wrists, or how the light in his sapphire eyes wasn't nearly as bright as it had been before.

The albino girl sat her backpack down near a dark brown and blue tartan settee, claiming the plush chair as her own, then wandered a few rows further into the mass of books before her. Closing her eyes she let her fingertips wander the binds of a row of paperbacks, wondering the marvels each held inside of it, the worlds confined to their pages, the adventure awaiting her if only she chose to take it. Stopping at the frayed end of a thick book, feeling a bookmark sticking out of the top, she opened her eyes and took the book from the shelf. To her surprise there wasn't a title or author's name, only worn black cloth and a bookmark jutting from the yellowed pages. Naminé opened the cover, blinking in surprise when she realized there was a box cut into the pages, a key inside. _Secret Garden much?_ She thought, taking the key in her hand and noticing an inscription at the bottom of the page. "Advienne que pourra **(2)** …" Naminé whispered, looking around to see if anyone was nearby. The words were in French, she didn't know what they meant. Should she take the key? Should she put it back? Her more adventurous side was screaming at her to take it and see what she could find out about the inscription and the key, but her more sensible side told her to put it back. What if it was important to someone? What if they had hidden it there for a reason? After a bit of a tug-o-war with herself the pale blonde put the key back, careful to place the book exactly where it had been, noting where it was on the shelves. Maybe she'd come back for it later, but at the moment she didn't feel the need to investigate further.

She scanned the row another time, picking out a few interesting-looking books, and then headed back to her settee. She dove into them, quickly forgetting the time, letting herself wander through someone else's dreams, her discovery lingering in the back of her mind. Nearby, watching the girl slightly, Tasogare smiled softly. The new girl had found one of her treasures already, and to her surprise had put it back! Usually people either never noticed Taso's hidden books were there, or when they found one of them they took what was inside, forcing the mint-haired girl to go retrieve it later. What an interesting character. They would have to be good friends after all.

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

Riku followed Axel dutifully, taking in the sounds and smells and feel of it all. They wove through several throngs of people, Riku catching Sora and Roxas' scents a ways off, before marshmallow came to his nose. Smiling, the blind boy stepped up beside the boy leading him. "My brother is here somewhere."

Axel, looking down at the platinum blonde, asked, "What makes you say that?"

"I smell marshmallows."

"And that has what to do with your brother?"

Riku laughed. "Everything. It's his favorite thing ever; if you can smell marshmallows it's usually Cloud."

"Reno told me about a Cloud. Tall, blonde, listens to his iPod a lot." At Riku's nod Axel added, "They're friends, met up when college started last week."

"That's my brother." Riku said, excited to see said boy after a week of separation. A week was a long time to be away from someone when you're used to talking to them everyday. And well, maybe he wouldn't exactly _see_ Cloud, but he'd try to hang out with him some when the gig started. Cloud had taken him to parties before when he had been in high school and had taught the younger boy to dance. It would be fun to do so again, he hadn't in a while. Sure enough after walking across a small field Riku could hear his brother's voice, saying something about a sofa. Axel noticed the blonde as well but Reno pounced on his younger brother before he could do anything about it.

"Oh I've been waiting for you all afternoon Axel! What took you guys so long!" He looked his brother over appraisingly, adding, "Nice pants by the way, were they the ones you were working on last night?" Axel nodded, prying out of Reno's grasp, Riku holding his arm gently. When the older red-head noticed the younger boy he gasped and said accusingly towards Cloud, "He is so not your brother. He's way too hot to be so young!"

Riku blushed, Axel sighing and shaking his head. Cloud, noticing the two newest arrivals, pulled away from Zack and stood up to walk over to his brother. "He is too my kid brother, he's got my looks, my style, and my moves. He's one cool cat."

Riku raised an eyebrow, play-punching where he knew his brother would be. "You're so conceited Cloud."

The older stuck out his tongue, looking from his brother to the red-head he was holding onto. "So you're Reno's kid brother."

"Only in age." He replied, Reno pouting nearby. He looked over at Riku slightly, then back up to Cloud. "Too bad I don't have a big brother who actually acts like one." He cut his eyes over at Reno accusingly, smile playing across his lips.

The older turned away and acted like he was hurt, then shoved Axel playfully before walking off with Vincent and Leon. "We're going to go get the food and couple more blankets. Be back in a sec!" They disappeared into the crowd, leaving the others behind to save their spots.

Yuffie and Aerith were talking with Kurei nearby, sitting in a semi-circle with a large blanket spread out beneath them. Zack had stood from his spot by the tree, walking over to Cloud's side as the blonde asked his brother about his day. Axel listened and commented occasionally, looking around for the others who were supposed to meet them. Demyx and Zexion eventually walked up; Tidus, Wakka, and Selphie trailing behind them. _Still no sign of Roxas or Sora._ Axel realized, though Reno and the others were returning with food and various different blankets to sit on. Leaving Riku with Cloud and Zack he met Demyx and Zexion as they approached, giving Demyx a side-ways look.

The peppy boy returned his funny look, asking, "What is it? My hair messed up or something?"

Axel shook his head, Zexion stopping to listen as the others found a place to sit near the tree line. "I haven't seen Sora or Roxas since school let out. Did you see them wandering around?"

"Yeah," Demyx replied, "They're hanging out near the stage with the bands. _Saberflight_ 's warming up, they wanted to say hi to the girls."

Axel nodded, "Oh okay. I was wondering where they had run off too."

Zexion smiled, saying, "You're such a spazz Axel, they're fine. Sora's doing much better. I highly doubt there'll be any more incidents anytime soon." He looked behind the red-head, eyes falling on the boy a ways behind him. "Besides, he seemed happy to see Riku, so maybe now that they've found one another again Sora won't be having his spells."

"I hope your right. Riku asked me if I thought Sora was acting funny. He doesn't know about it."

Demyx shifted his weight from one foot to the other, shrugging lightly. "Well, maybe it's better that he doesn't know."

"I guess so…" Axel replied, turning back to look at the white-haired boy. He was looking around absently, fingertips testing the air for a nearby presence. "Talk to you guys later, okay?" he said, returning to Riku's side, taking the boy's searching hand. Zexion and Demyx watched him go, exchanging a grin, before walking off to join their other friends.

Riku looked over as Axel took his hand, smiling gently. "Everything okay?"

"Excellent." Axel replied, "Just saying hi to Demyx and the others. Sora and Roxas should be over soon." He grabbed a blanket from Reno as he walked over, along with a couple of drinks for the both of them. "You ready to find someplace to sit before the bands start?"

Riku nodded, allowing the red-head to pull him away from his brother and friends as Reno and the others began a conversation with Cloud and Zack. Not knowing where they were going Riku followed the older boy in silence, listening to everything going on around him. Axel, finally finding a place suitable to his liking, let go of Riku's hand and laid out the thick blanket before sitting down atop it, leaning back against the trunk of a large tree. After laying down the two cokes he had grabbed he reached up, Riku's fingertips brushing his own, guiding the boy gently down to him. Riku hesitated; gauging the distance to the ground then letting himself fall, catching his weight on his knees as he settled beside his friend. He sat down with a sigh, brushing his bangs off of his face, wishing he could see the happenings around him. Axel watched Riku for a moment before offering him a coke, pressing the cold can to the boy's hand in a silent question. "What is it?" he asked, taking the can from Axel.

"Dr. Pepper." he replied, "That okay?" Riku nodded, opening it and taking a sip. Bubbles danced across his tongue, stinging his throat on the way down. Carbonation, gotta love it. At least it tasted better than Coca Cola, Riku thought to himself, taking another sip. Watching Riku's "yuck" expression with a smile Axel asked, "Not much of a coke drinker?"

"I liked cherry coke, does that count?"

"Oh, you like the fruity stuff?"

The younger nodded. "I'd take Hawaiian punch over a coke any day."

"I'll have to remember that." Axel said teasingly.

Raising an eyebrow Riku asked with a smile, "Why, what for?"

About that time a mic squealed and a deep voice said, "So, we ready to get this party started?"

Axel tensed, whispering, "Oh no…"

Riku, confused, turned his head towards the boy, a questioning expression across his face.

-x-x-x-

"So, we ready to get this party started?"

Zack tensed, turning towards the stage. Cloud noticed the dark-haired man's reaction, looking over at him from Kurei and Reno. Vincent walked over, Leon and Aerith exchanging a glance. Yuffie, from her place beside Kurei, asked, "Is that who I think it is?"

From the suddenly cheering audience it apparently was. Vincent shook his head, mumbling something to Reno, who nodded his head. Vincent, motioning to Leon and Aerith, walked off towards the stage, leaving the others in an awkward silence. Cloud brushed Zack's arm, trying to search his eyes. "You okay?" The other man nodded absently, taking Cloud's hand and walking back to where they had been, sitting down against the tree. The blonde sat down facing him, Zack sighing and meeting his eyes after a moment of silence.

"You remember earlier I was on the phone with someone?" Cloud nodded, waiting for the man to continue. "I was talking to my ex, asking him if he was going to show tonight."

Cloud looked from Zack off towards the stage, asking, "So that guy who's talking, he's your ex-boyfriend?"

Zack hesitated, the younger boy looking back over at him. "No, he was my fiancé."

The blonde blinked, not knowing what to say in response to that revelation. Zack had been engaged? "What happened?"

Violet eyes wandered from sapphire, drifting towards the stage. "He decided he didn't really love me. I found him in bed with someone about a month ago. Needless to say we're not on very good terms at the moment, and everyone's pissed about it."

Cloud nodded. "I asked Reno and Vincent about it earlier in the mall…they seemed rather irritated at the fact he was calling you. That would explain why."

Zack smiled slightly, shrugging the conversation off. "Reno never liked Sephiroth."

Cloud fell into silence, waiting to see if the other boy wanted to say anything else on the subject. When no more words came and the first band started playing the blonde looked over his shoulder towards the stage, turning slightly. Zack watched the arc of Cloud's body in the fading sunlight, a soft smile across his face. He reached out, tugging the younger to him gently. Cloud turned back, letting Zack wrap his arms around him from behind, his back pressed to the curve of the older man's chest and side. He leaned his weight against Zack gently, moving against him to find a comfortable position. Tilting his head back to rest on Zack's shoulder Cloud sighed in contentment. "You're a good sofa."

Zack chuckled softly, leaning in and nuzzling Cloud's neck gently. "I'm glad you're comfy."

Slight blush accenting his cheeks Cloud looked up, capturing violet irises. "Thank you for inviting me."

"Thank you for coming with me." The older man replied, eyes shimmering with dancing light. Cloud looked away, watching the nearby stage. Zack turned as well, the familiar chords to a _One Winged Angel_ song filling his mind with memories. He tightened his hold on Cloud, inhaling his scent, forcing sadness away. Around them the crowds were dancing, cheering and screaming his ex-lovers name, while all he wanted to do was forget. The blonde he was holding took one of his hands gently with his own, intertwining their fingers and turning towards him slightly. Zack returned the boy's gaze, startled at how blue Cloud's eyes really were; reaching out his other hand to brush blonde bangs off of the younger's cheeks. "You're fuckin' hot you know."

Blushing at the compliment, wavering slightly, Cloud replied, "I have nothing on you."

Eyes softening, Zack leaned in and kissed him lightly, pulling away a moment later. The younger boy blushed deeper, searching Zack's eyes, a teasing smile forming across his lips. "What?" Zack asked, searching the boy's eyes.

"Nothing, I was just expecting more I guess."

"Oh really?" Zack asked, raising an eyebrow. "You're expecting more action than that from a sofa?"

Cloud laughed, shaking his head as he leaning back against said "sofa", "No I guess not."

"Or maybe it's just that I'm saving it for later," Zack whispered, "when we aren't being spied on."

"Reno watching us?" the blonde asked, looking around for the red-head.

"Yup. Yuffie too." Zack replied, motioning towards a break in the trees. Sure enough the two were watching and giving one another high fives, sneaking away to undoubtedly inform the others of their successful match-guessing.

Cloud shook his head, watching them go. "Yaoi fangirls..."

Zack almost hyperventilated he was laughing so hard. The boy in his arms stuck his tongue out at him, grinning at the older's reaction. This was going to be the best night ever, Cloud decided, he could already tell.

-x-x-x-

"What is it?" Riku asked, listening to the man on the microphone introduce himself as Sephiroth, his band name being _One Winged Angel_. Axel's hand was tense around his, a sigh escaping his lips.

"It's nothing, just that the guy up there's an asshole. He hurt one of my brother's friends pretty badly."

"Did they get in a fight or something?" Riku asked, still slightly confused.

"More like shattered his heart into a million tiny pieces." the red-head replied. "He was engaged to Zack, the guy your brother was hanging out with. Anyway, long story short, they're broken up now and no one really likes Sephiroth anymore."

"Oh, I see." Riku said softly, thinking about the situation. "And they're all here tonight, everyone who doesn't like him?"

"Pretty much. Not that I think anything will happen, I just wonder if Zack knew he was coming." Axel watched the band begin; relaxing slightly once his initial wave of anger had passed him. "I didn't know he would be here and I'm one of the other performers."

"Do you know anyone else who's playing?"

" _Saberflight_." Axel replied, "Demyx said Sora and Roxas went to go see them before they performed."

"They know the members?"

Axel nodded, replying, "They're some of Yuffie's friends; Yuna, Rikku, Paine, and Tifa."

"So Sora should be heading over soon..." Riku said softly, leaning back on one hand as he sipped at his drink with the other.

Axel watched the boy for a moment, stomach turning a bit. Did Riku like Sora? Or was it Sora who liked Riku? He looked off towards the stage, sighing silently. Sora had been so heartbroken when he had first moved here after being separated from his best friend, like he had lost a lover. But Roxas…he had brought so much life back into Sora, given him so much. Still, despite that, Sora had seemed so much happier today than he had been in a long time. Axel didn't know, Riku seemed to have feelings for Sora too…but where would that leave Roxas? And why did the thought of Riku being with Sora make his heart twist uneasily?

Feeling Riku reach over and touch his hand the red head looked over at him, a playful expression across the pale boy's features. "What's that smile for?" He asked, nudging the boy's arm gently.

"You got so tense all of a sudden, so quiet. Was it because I mentioned Sora?"

Startled at the blind boy's accuracy, being able to read him so easily though he couldn't see Axel's expressions, the older boy replied, "Maybe."

Grin curving his lips Riku asked, "Jealous or something?"

 _Psychic or something?_ "Why would I be jealous of Sora?"

Riku shrugged, fingertips gliding across the back of Axel's hand. "I don't know, you just seemed to be thinking about something is all. I was trying to figure out what it was." The red-head didn't reply. He and Riku fell into a pleasant silence, listening to a local band rocking out onstage. Suddenly the younger boy went into a crouch, pushing himself gracefully up into a standing position. Turning to Axel, reaching out a hand, he asked, "Want to dance?"

The older boy blinked, took Riku's hand and stood up, replying with, "You know how to dance?"

Riku shrugged, "Cloud taught me how to appreciate a beat."

Axel grinned, leading the boy a few paces away, saying as he began to dance, "Let's see what you've got."

The blind boy before him brushed his shoulder, finding the beat, letting his thoughts fade as his body took over an erotic movement that drew Axel's eyes to the curve of Riku's neck, the swaying of his hips, long hair brushing past his ghost-blue eyes. Eye candy, yum yum… The red head softened his eyes, finding his rhythm as well; hands teasing the curves of Riku's hips, fingertips brushing up his chest and stroking his collarbone briefly. Riku noticed the older boy's touch, blushing slightly but continuing to move, moving closer until he could feel Axel's body heat against him. _Let's play…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1)One Winged Angel is the name of the song that's always playing when Sephiroth's around, so I decided to use it as his band's name. Chakram and Saberflight are original band names.
> 
> (2) "Advienne que pourra…" is French for "Come what may…"


	5. Empathy

Riku couldn't help but notice the way Axel's hands took to the curves of his body, their movements matching the sway in his step along to the beat of the music. Hands above him the blind boy let everything fade away save the sound of his breathing and the lightning hot touch of Axel's fingertips against his chest and neck. He knew he was blushing, but he didn't stop, he loved this feeling, this intimacy, the heat and pulse of it all. Emerald eyes were watching him hungrily, he could feel them, almost see them in his mind; the way Axel was looking at him was hot in itself. Suddenly the song changed, the mic screaming momentarily. Riku flinched away from it, falling into Axel, who caught him with only a slight stagger. Flustering, Riku pulled away and looked to the side, pale hair covering his flaming face. Axel chuckled lightly, brushing fingertips across the younger's shoulder, slowly reaching up to push his hair back so he could see Riku's face. He turned towards that touch, catching the other's eyes without knowing it, the red-head leaning in so the were mere inches apart.

"You alright?" He asked somewhat out of breath, Riku shuddering pleasantly at the husky tone.

"Y-yeah…"

"Hey guys!" a voice called, interrupting the moment. Axel pulled away, turning to see Roxas heading his way, Sora following behind him. "Can you believe _One Winged Angel_ showed up?"

"Hard to believe." Axel replied, reaching out to balance Riku, who still looked a bit wobbly. "I wonder if Zack knew about it or not."

The blonde shrugged, turning to look at his boyfriend, who seemed oddly quiet. The brunette looked up and met Axel's eyes for a moment, those blue irises drifting to Riku, and then to where Axel was gently holding his arm. Roxas noticed his lover's silence, beckoning silently for Axel, saying; "Let's go check on him. Sora, will you stay here with Riku for a minute? We'll be right back."

The brunette shifted uneasily but made a small affirming sound, stepping up to the two boys across from him, taking Axel's place as he stepped from Riku and went to Roxas. "I'll be right back, okay?" the red head said to the younger; the worry and confusion in his eyes not evident in his voice.

"Okay." the pale boy replied, "We'll be here." He listened to their muted footsteps as they walked away, barely audible even to his sensitive ears over the ending to a particularly rocky song. Riku reached out for Sora, the brunette tense under his fingertips. "Can we sit down?" he asked, "I'm kind of dizzy."

Relaxing a bit, his anxiousness momentarily shadowed by his concern for Riku, the younger boy replied, "Yeah, here…" He took the blind boy's hands, leading him the few short paces to the blanket, going down to his knees along with the other boy, letting him lean back against the tree as he watched him nervously.

Riku couldn't see Sora's faltering eyes, or the way his eyebrows were arched in a futile effort to form words for the feelings he wanted to express. He did however know something was wrong, and he asked after a moment, "Sora, what did you want to talk to me about?"

"I…" His words were choked, afraid of what he might say. "There's something I've wanted to tell you. I know it doesn't matter now and I know it's too late to do anything about it. I thought I was over it, I don't know what to do. After all this time, after I finally thought I could forget about you…I found Roxas…I've started over. But…" Reaching up to touch Sora's face Riku could tell the brunette was crying.

"Sora! Wha-"

The younger moved forward, wrapping his arms around Riku's torso, face pressed to his shoulder as he continued. "I missed you so much, when we moved here and I realized I didn't know how to get a hold of you, I…"

Riku wrapped his arms around Sora's small frame, cradling the boy gently. "It's okay. Sora, it's okay. I'm here now. I'm not going anywhere."

"But it's not just that." Sora replied while pulling away slightly, searching Riku's eyes, wishing the older boy could do the same. "Riku, even though I'm with Roxas, when I'm with him it's not the same as when I'm with you. After all this time, I've never felt the way I did with you with anyone else. I didn't understand at first, but now…after seeing you again…I think…"

Riku felt Sora move towards him, not comprehending what was happening until he felt lips pressed to his own. Eyes widening Riku tried to pull away, but the tree was behind him, Sora pressing against him a bit more fervently; willing the other to kiss him back. The hands he had wrapped around Sora now went to push him away, gently disconnecting their lips as the pale boy breathed out a small questioning sound. "Sora, what are you doing? You're with Rox-"

"I know!" Sora exclaimed, tears streaming down his face. "But if I hadn't left, if we had been together all this time, would you be with me?"

"Sora…"

"Would you?" he cried, hands knotting into fists where he held Riku's shirt. "Is this just one sided? Have you never felt anything for me…?"

Eyes softening, fingertips brushing Sora's cheeks, Riku replied, "Sora I love you with all my heart but…"

Sora pulled away from Riku, running off into the crowd. Riku called after him, getting to his feet and following the strawberry trail through the throngs of moving people. The bass reverberated through his body as another song began, cheering going up from the girls nearby. Hands before him so he brushed against those he passed he wove his way after the boy, calling his name as he tried to avoid directly running into anyone. The mass was so tightly packed together everyone was touching anyway; no one really seemed to pay him any attention as he made his way through. That is, until after a moment, he realized what he was doing and panic started setting in. Riku was alone, in a sea of people, and had just lost the faintest hint of the direction Sora had run off to. Oh god, where was Axel?

-x-x-x-

Axel and Roxas were talking with Reno, Leon, and Aerith when the younger red-head realized how long he had been away from Riku. "I'm going to go back and check on them." He said to the blonde.

The younger boy nodded; a sad expression across his face. "I'll be there in a sec."

Knowing something must be going on between the blonde and brunette he didn't comment, just nodded in return then tracked his way back to where he had left the two boys earlier. To his surprise neither were there. Not waiting for Roxas he set off into the crowd, heading for the stage. He'd be able to see better from one of the side platforms; maybe the two boys had gone up to the front to listen to _Saberflight_ , who were the next band to be performing. Pretty soon his band would be up there too, making the crowd go wild. At least, that was the idea. Right now though all he was worried about was finding Riku and making sure he was okay. But Sora was with him, right? They were best friends. He didn't have anything to worry about.

-x-x-x-

Riku was freaking out; caught between hyperventilating and screaming at the top of his lungs until someone noticed. He tried to center himself enough to pick out something in the unfamiliar that _was_ familiar. He felt so powerless, swallowed up in something he couldn't see in, couldn't breathe in; his hearing as jumbled as the rest of his still functioning senses. The ground beneath his feet was pulsing with the jumpers around him, the drums clashing onstage, the bassist strumming away. A woman was singing eerie lyrics that weren't helping his nausea any, wishing he was somewhere other than _here_ so he could properly enjoy it.

"Kid, you okay?"

Riku hadn't realized he'd been clutching the person next to him, immediately withdrawing. "I'm sorry, I just-"

A hand took his arm, pulling him through the crowd, nearer to the front of the stage then off to the side. Ascending a slight ramp he pressed Riku up against a cool wall, the bass shaking him but the night air bringing him out of his panicked state. "You alright?" the man asked again, "You look like you're about to pass out."

"Y-yeah, thanks." Riku replied, letting his head fall back against the wall, listening to the woman onstage and trying to calm himself enough to make sense of where he was. "Where are we?"

"One of the side entrances to the stage," the voice replied, slightly amused, "don't you recognize me?"

"Sorry, I can't see." Riku replied, reaching out, brushing an arm. "Who are you?"

The man chuckled, saying, "I'm in _One Winged Angel_ , my name's Yazoo. I'm the keyboardist."

"Oh, that's cool." Riku replied, not sure of what to say. Obviously that band was popular. Was he supposed to be allowed back here? But maybe Axel… "You don't know anyone from _Chakram_ do you? I'm here with one of the members; we got separated."

"Oh sure, Marluxia and Larxene were wandering around here a minute ago, they're going on in a half hour or so." He took Riku's hand from his arm, tugging it lightly so the younger stood from the wall. "Want me to take you to them?"

"That'd be great. Thank you."

The man lead Riku further up the ramp, getting behind the speakers and the first curtain, advising him when to step over equipment and watch his head. The noise from the crowd and current band seemed muffled within the carpeted walls, laughter greeting Riku's ears. It was a nice change from the screaming he had been trapped in a few minutes ago. Slightly nervous Riku let Yazoo guide him, hopeful that when the man took him to the other members of _Chakram_ they could help him find Axel. A voice ahead of them called out something to Yazoo, the man calling back and changing direction slightly. "Hey Loz, where's everyone?"

"Kadaj and Sephiroth are talking to Tifa and the girls; they're fixing to go on." The other replied and then added a moment later, "Who do you have with you?"

"Kid's looking for the _Chakram_ players, you know where they went?"

Loz thought a moment then replied, "I think Marluxia and Larxene are a bit further back, warming up. As for Axel, haven't seen him."

"Axel's who I came with," Riku replied, the two older boys turning to look at him, "he was with his brother and some friends, watching the gig."

"I see," Loz replied, "well, go find Marl and Larx; Axel will show up eventually."

Yazoo nodded, pulling Riku along again calling as they walked further into the backstage, "I'll be up there in a minute."

"Okay." The other man replied, walking off towards the front of the stage.

Riku stepped over a series of power cords at Yazoo's direction, the sounds of a conversation reaching the blind boy's ears along with a few cords from a bass guitar. "…do something like _Panic!_ or _Red Jumpsuit Apparatus_?"

"Nah, the way the crowd's riled up I'm thinking something like _System_ or _Slipknot_. Stick with the mood you know?" a female voice replied. "What do you think Axel will be in the mood for?"

"Dunno," the boy replied, "haven't really talked to him since yesterday. He had school y'know?"

"Marluxia, Larxene." Yazoo called, the two stopping their conversation to greet the man.

"Yazoo," the girl, Larxene said, "you were great earlier. I've been working on synthesizing some of your sounds, we should play together sometime."

With a light chuckle Yazoo replied, "Yeah, let's do that. But hey, this kid's with Axel and they got separated. Want to help him find your vocalist?"

"Will do." Marluxia responded, sending Riku a wave the younger boy didn't see.

Yazoo, seeing the jester, added, "He's blind." Before letting go of the boy and walking back off to meet the rest of his band. "See you in a bit!"

"Yeah, see ya!" Larxene called back, stepping from her synthesizer towards the pale goth before her, reaching out and taking his wrist. "Here, sit. I'll call Axel and tell him where you are, okay?" Pushing a seat out for the younger boy to rest on Riku obliged; hands fiddling with the chains on his bondage pants, his long white-blonde hair falling to hide his face.

_This is rather embarrassing... I don't know any of these people and am having to ask help from all of them. Not only that, but Sora-_

"So what's your name?" Marluxia asked, playing a few cords on his guitar. Riku looked over towards the sound of the man's voice, catching the scent of green tea leaves as he did so.

"Riku." The boy replied, looping his fingers in the chain links absent-mindedly. "You're Marluxia?"

The other boy made an affirming sound, "That's right, and that diva over there's Larx, or Larxene."

"Me the diva? Psh! Don't give me Axel's title…hey! Yeah, where are you?" The girl turned slightly, heels swishing across the wooden floor as she went from talking to the boys to into her cell phone. A sweet sugary smell followed her as she paced back and forth, reminding Riku of freshly baked sugar cookies. "Yeah? No, no, listen. Were you here with a kid named Riku?"

Riku could hear Axel's muffled voice elevate in exclamation, Larxene laughing and explaining the situation to the red-head. Closing her phone a moment later she returned to her synthesizer, playing various odd sounds in a techno-like sequence. "So I'll take it he's on his way?" Marluxia asked, strumming at his guitar as well.

"He was heading in this direction as it was," Larxene said in agreement, "said something about Sora was supposed to be with him. Where'd that kid run off to now?"

Riku looked towards the floor, shifting uncomfortably. Should he have just let Sora kiss him? Should he have kissed him back? It wasn't that Riku thought the idea of them being together as more than just friends repulsive, but they hadn't been together in so long, Sora was dating Roxas…and well…

"Riku!" Cinnamon assaulted his senses as Axel practically jogged down the platform, slightly out of breath while exclaiming, "Are you alright? Where the hell's Sora?"

…he kind of already liked someone else…

"Axel I'm fine!" Riku replied, standing up as the man wrapped a possessive arm around his waist; the younger's hands brushing his chest and shoulder. "I just ran off without thinking, it was my fault. If I had stayed where we had been I…"

"Wait? You ran off, what do you mean? What happened?" Axel's tone was concerned and slightly pissed off. No doubt at the fact that Sora had left Riku by himself.

Slightly uncomfortable at their audience Riku leaned in and whispered, "Can we talk about this somewhere else?"

Emerald eyes shining he looked up to meet Larxene's amber irises and Marluxia's indigo. "Thanks guys, I'll be back in a bit."

"Don't worry about it, _Saberflight_ 's on the stage and they're going to be playing for a while." Marluxia said, smiling slightly as he ran a hand through his layered auburn hair, making questioning jesters at Axel's protective arm around Riku.

Larxene was doing the same, rolling her eyes then raising a fair blonde eyebrow into her spiked hairline. "Come back sometime or another and let's do a quick rehearsal, mm'k?"

Axel nodded, taking Riku's hand and leading him not to the front of the stage where the noise and confusion reigned, but further into the back and down one of the reverse ramps. The cold night air hit the younger boy like a wave of heavenly bliss, cooling his nerves as he let out a long sigh, Axel watching him affectionately but still with slight concern. "So what happened to Sora?" he asked after a moment, squeezing Riku's hand lightly.

Pulling away from the older boy, walking a few paces and tilting his head back as if looking at the stars, Riku replied, "He…he kissed me."

"He _kissed_ you?" Axel replied, letting that sink in. Roxas cared so much for Sora, but it made sense that all this time Sora had loved Riku. Especially all of his "incidents" right after he moved to Dashilaw.

Riku nodded, looking down and then turning slightly to face Axel again. "Yeah…he told me he had feelings for me; that no one else had ever made him feel the way I did." Riku clasped a hand around the crown necklace hanging around his neck, remembering all the memories the small trinket held. "Then he asked me if I had feelings for him too…"

Axel paused, thinking about that, the hesitation in Riku's voice. "What did you say?"

"That I loved him, but…well. I don't think it's in the same way." Riku stepped up to Axel, fingertips brushing along his ribcage. "He was crying, and I didn't want to hurt him, but I didn't want to lie to him either, you know?" Fisting his hand slightly he looked away with a sigh. "He got really upset and ran off. I tried to follow him but when I realized what I was doing I lost it. A guy named Yazoo helped me out of the crowd and took me to Larxene and Marluxia. And now I'm back with you." Sadness tinged his voice, tilting his face up, blind eyes catching Axel's momentarily. "Do you think I was wrong? Should I have, I don't know…kissed him back instead of pushing him away?"

Eyes softening at the concern across the younger boy's face, Axel asked softly, "What did it feel like? The kiss. Was it something you enjoyed?"

Riku blushed slightly, looking away. "I don't know. All I could think about was the fact that he was with Roxas. It didn't feel right for someone else's boyfriend to be kissing me."

"But if it hadn't been for your conscious getting in the way, do you think you would have enjoyed it?" Axel asked, rubbing Riku's arm gently.

Blushing a bit more Riku replied, "Yes, but not for the right reasons. I mean, it was my first kiss…"

Blinking in surprise Axel repeated, "Your first kiss?"

Riku nodded. "I…I've never gotten close to anyone. Sora was the only person I ever let in, and that was before my accident." He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, heat continuing to prickle his cheeks.

The older boy reached up and pressed his hand to Riku's neck, gliding up gently to his cheek, parting his ivory locks to look into his eyes. "I wish you could look back at me right now, the way the black lights are hitting you, it's making you glow."

Startled slightly at the way his voice had deepened Riku's eyes widened, suddenly conscious of how close they were; the hand on his cheek, the warmth of Axel's body heat, breath teasing his bangs. His pulse started racing, eyes searching where he knew the other boy's were mirroring his, lips parting slightly as he forced himself to breathe. "Axel…?"

-x-x-x-

Cloud couldn't stop himself from leaning in and pressing his lips to Zack's neck, kissing it lightly. The older man's fingertips were playing with the small of his back, the other hand still intertwined with Cloud's. Eyelashes batting over sapphire irises he looked up at the dark headed man who was smiling down at him playfully. Smiling himself he rested his head on the other's shoulder as _Saberflight_ began to play. This was nice; being held by someone, casually flirting, listening to a live band play. He only hoped his little brother was having as good a time. Vaguely he wondered what it was his little sister was doing since she hadn't come to the party, stuck in a book somewhere no doubt. Zack leaned in and gently bit the rim of Cloud's ear, pulling him out of his thoughts, sending a pleasant shudder through the younger boy. "What are you thinking about?"

"Hey, have either one of you seen my brother?"

Cloud and Zack looked up to see Reno walking towards them, a worried Roxas at his side.

Exchanging a glance Zack replied, "Not since he came over and asked if I was alright, but Roxas was with him too."

"That's the thing." Roxas said; his voice shaky. "After Axel and I talked to you we went to talk to Reno, Leon, and Aerith. Axel said he was going to go back and check on Riku and Sora, and when I got there all three of them were gone. I've been trying to call Sora and he's not answering his cell phone. Have you seen Riku or Axel?"

"No." replied Cloud, pulling out of Zack's arms and standing up, the dark haired man standing up beside him. He reached for his cell phone, quickly dialed Riku's number, the action taking him directly to his little brother's voicemail. "It's his voicemail; he must have his phone off…"

"No, I don't think that's it. I tried calling Axel too and it was the same thing." Reno replied, "They're in a place with no signal."

"I'm worried about Sora." Roxas said, eyes shimmering. "If something's happened, I don't know what he'll do to himself…"

Cloud, brows furrowed, suddenly caught on to something Roxas had said. "Wait, you said Sora before; is it-"

"It's the Sora from your hometown." Roxas replied. "Riku and Naminé found him earlier today at school." He searched Cloud's eyes, and then turned to Reno before going back to Cloud and Zack. "He's my boyfriend, and I hate to say this, but he's not exactly stable. He might be somewhere hurting himself."

Blue eyes widening Cloud took off towards the crowd, Zack following after him. "Let's go."

Zack called back over his shoulder, "If we find him we'll call you and let you know!" Reno and Roxas waved after them, heading off in a different direction to look for Sora. Axel and Riku they could find later. Sora was the one they needed to worry about, if he hadn't done anything irreversible already. Cloud and Zack linked hands as they started into the crowd, looking for anyone resembling the spiky-haired boy they were searching for. "Where would he go to hide?" Zack called to Cloud over _Saberflight_ , looking around at the people nearby.

"Honestly I don't know. Maybe if we were back in my hometown, but here…and after so long…"

"Well where would he have gone back then?"

Cloud continued through various groups of people, turning back over his shoulder and saying, "There was a place back home by the town's lake, a huge willow tree. Sora and Riku were always there, it was like their second home. They always went there together."

Zack thought a moment then replied, "There's a grove like the one in the middle of the park over on the far side, closest to the river that runs through town. You think he might have gone there?"

"We could go check." Cloud answered, pausing for Zack to come up to his side. "Which way?"

Motioning, Zack took the lead. Cloud followed dutifully after him, their hands still intertwined. Eventually they reached the edge of the crowd, the music fading as they put distance between themselves and the stage, the neon lights casting multicolored orbs against the tree line they were nearing. "The river's just ahead. Maybe we'll find him over-"

"Wait, listen." Cloud whispered as the dancing lights highlighted the trees again, the sound of someone sniffing coming from the riverbank where a few tree limbs hung out over the water. "Sora?" Cloud called, walking forward and into the darkness.

"…I-I'm sorry, R-Rox…"

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

Naminé read as much as she could until sundown. Sadly she put away her stories and left her dream world to return home and wait on Riku to get back from his party, wishing the day had lasted longer. Driving back listening to the radio she couldn't help but notice how pretty Dashilaw was at night, the shop lights glowing as several people walked the sidewalks hand in hand with lovers. One of them she noticed looked strangely familiar, walking by herself, mint green curls falling eloquently down her shoulders and back. Slowing and rolling down the passenger side window, Naminé called, "Tasogare, you need a ride?"

The older girl looked up, seemingly startled, then smiled and walked over. "No I'm fine, enjoying the night air. You can hear the concert if you listen for it."

"Oh, I see." Naminé replied, turning down her radio. "So you're just going to walk?"

Taso paused then replied, "I was going to, why? You need some company?" A playful smile crossed her lips, eyebrow arching.

Naminé laughed lightly, reaching over and opening the door to let the girl in. "I'm not doing anything at the moment. Let me give you a ride home. It'll help me stop thinking about how Riku's doing at that party."

"Worried?" Tasogare asked as she climbed into the cougar. "Thinking about him being alone with Axel bothering you?"

"No it's not that," Naminé replied as Tasogare shut the door, fastened her seatbelt, and the blonde slowly began to drive, "it's that I'm so used to being with him and this is a new town and all. I don't know I guess I'm just being silly. He's my older brother after all, I know he can handle himself. And about Axel, I think he's really nice. He doesn't seem like the type who would ever hurt Riku." Her voice softened, Tasogare listening intently. "Actually I'm kind of worried about Sora. Ever since I saw him earlier today…"

Tasogare looked out the window, not saying anything for a moment before asking, "Has he really changed that much?"

Naminé, softly, replied, "You mean did he cut himself back when we were kids?" Tasogare's irises flickered but she didn't reply. "No…Sora loved being alive, he brought out the best in my brother and me. Once he even got Cloud to shoot milk out of his nose he was laughing so hard." Eyes swimming with the thought of tears she added, "It must have been after he moved here, he never ever would have cut himself so long as he was with Riku."

The older girl reached over and patted Naminé's arm. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you. But if what you're saying is true then maybe he won't anymore, now that he's back with Riku."

"I hope you're right." Naminé whispered, "It would break Riku's heart if he ever found out."

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

"Axel…?"

"Hmm?" the fiery man murmured, captivated by how hot Riku was in that instant, wondering if he should take the plunge or back away.

"Do you think we should go looking for Sora?"

 _That would be the back away option…_ "Y-yeah," he replied, "sure."

"But where do you think he would be?" Riku asked, pulling Axel's arm slightly. "I don't know where he would go if he was upset in this town. Back home we went to the willow tree when anything happened, good or bad. It was our place."

Axel, thinking for a minute, replied, "I think I know where he might be. He and Roxas hang out in the trees by the river a lot, on the far edge of the park. Let's go check there."

"Okay."

Taking the blind boy's hand Axel lead him around the back of the stage, cutting the outside of the crowd and walking along the river up to the tree line on the far side of the park. Riku stepped up beside him, bringing him to a halt, Axel turning to look at him. "What is it? Something wrong?"

"There's something I was going to ask you earlier, when we were talking about Sora in the car." Riku said, Axel watching his features, how distant he seemed. "Sora…there's nothing…" Hesitating for a moment, then sighing, he finished. "There's nothing wrong with Sora is there? No one's hurt him have they?"

Blinking, Axel replied, "No, what would make you say that?"

"I don't know. Just how broken he seems. He's not who he used to be; he's timid and sad, like he's hurting. Roxas would never hurt him, would he?"

"No." Axel replied, eyes softening. "Roxas loves Sora, he would never hurt him. Sora, well, he's just like that. He has been since he's come to Dashilaw."

"I don't know. I just get this feeling, like something's wrong." Riku stepped forward a bit, Axel taking the hint and walking towards the tree line again. "I don't want him to hurt."

Axel walked in silence, listening to the faint sounds of the band onstage and the rush of the river beside them. _Should I tell him about Sora…?_

-x-x-x-

"…I-I'm sorry, R-Rox…" Sora whispered, sobs wracking his body, the cuts in his palm made by his pocket knife long and deep. "I told you I wouldn't do this anymore, I thought I was strong enough, but I can't…I can't deal with this right now." Through his tears he watched the blood bubble to the surface as he cut horizontally across his lower wrist, careful not to hit a main vein. He wasn't trying to kill himself, not this time, just make it hurt enough to deaden his emotional pain. It was actually pretty, in a morbid, lethal way; the way the crimson surfaced from within, pouring in small streaks down his arm and into the water below from his perch on one of the outer branches. He didn't notice the blonde watching him, slowly walking closer, sadness darkening his sapphire eyes.  
Zack watching from a short distance away, Cloud reached up and touched the boy's leg, whispering, "Sora?" The brunette jerked and gasped, resulting in him dropping his pocket knife in the river and teetering off the branch, landing in the river with a loud splash, Cloud immediately going in after him. "Hey, grab on to me!"

Sputtering Sora complied, reaching out and grabbing onto Cloud's outstretched hand, wincing as he realized he had offered his wounded palm. The blonde pulled him out of the shallow water, the younger boy bleeding, soaking wet, and still crying. "I'm sorry, I…I…"

"Sora, it's okay. Calm down."

"I can't do this…I…"

"Hey! You okay?"

Cloud looked up, Axel and Riku walking towards them, Riku clinging to Axel's arm at the brisk pace. The red head asked again, more forcefully this time, coming to a halt before the blonde and the soaking wet brunette before him. Zack stepped up, putting a hand on Cloud's shoulder, speaking up for the blonde. "We're fine. Sora fell."

"Sora?" Riku said anxiously, stepping over to his brother, brushing his fingers along his shoulder and arm until he reached the trembling brunette within them. "Sora…I'm sorry."

Blinking open watery azure eyes he looked over at Riku, whose eyes held enough sadness and regret he could see it even though Riku couldn't himself. "W-what do you mean?"

Cloud stepped away, returning to Zack as Riku took Sora's hands, Axel watching in silence. "I'm sorry I pushed you away, it just startled me. I didn't know how to react."

Sniffing Sora blushed slightly, looking away. "No I shouldn't have. You're right, I'm with Roxas…I just…I've missed you." Coughing briefly he pulled his hands out of Riku's, hissing as the other boy's fingers brushed against his cut.

Riku noticed, asking with concern, "You okay?" Sora didn't answer, looking down at his wrist. The pain was still here, but it wasn't overwhelming the throbbing in his heart. "Sora?"

"It's nothing. I-"

"Sora!" Roxas exclaimed, running over to the group, Reno and Yuffie on his heels. He wrapped his arms around his lover, nuzzling his neck, tears stinging his eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah." The brunette answered, looking away, trying not to start crying again.

Concern in his aqua irises, Roxas gently took Sora's left hand, turning it over and looking at the fresh marks there. Sora watched him, silent tears falling down his cheeks as he waited for his boyfriend's reaction. Smiling gently the blonde leaned in and pressed a kiss to Sora's lips, whispering, "It's okay, baby." Pulling away, whipping the younger's cheeks, he repeated himself, searching Sora's eyes. "It's okay."

Riku reached back for Axel, the older taking his hand. "Let's leave them alone." He whispered, backing up a bit, feeling the red-head's side pressed to his back. Axel made a sound of agreement, looking across the way to see the others were walking back towards the concert as well, before he remembered where he was supposed to be with a gasp.

Taking off at a run, Riku calling out a confused exclamation at their sudden speed, Axel called over his shoulder, "I've got to be on stage like right now!"

"Oh no, I had forgotten! What do we do?" Riku called back as they neared the crowd, listening to Axel's footsteps to keep pace without falling.

"Come with me! I'll take you to Reno and the others." Weaving through the people, heading for one of the side ramps, Axel exclaimed; "They're right over there, in the front row! Stay with them until I get back okay?"

Nodding, Riku replied, "Good luck!"

"Hey guys!" Yuffie called as she linked arms with Riku, Axel pulling away from the blind boy.

Reno, noticing his little brother, called, "Get your ass on stage!"

"You'd better hurry," Vincent said as he appeared out of the crowd, Leon and Aerith with him. "You're about to go on. Larxene and Marluxia were looking for you."

"Knock 'em dead punk!" Yuffie added, sticking her tongue out at Axel's indignant look.

Cinnamon faded into the sea of bodies around him, Yuffie's butterscotch and Reno's cherry taking over his senses. His brother and Zack were somewhere nearby as well, Demyx, Kurei, and Zexion dancing further back in the throng. A bass guitar sounded from the stage, a electronic rendition of drums and a keyboard accompanying it, then a moment later the lead guitar joining it, Axel's voice echoing on the mic.

"We're _Chakram_ ," he said, fire in his voice, "let's do this!"

Riku's heart started racing as the speakers pulsated with the bass line and the synthesizer, Larxene playing an eerie melody as Axel began to sing.

" _She seems dressed in all the rings  
Of past fatalities  
So fragile yet so devious  
She continues to see  
Climatic hands that press  
Her temples and my chest  
Enter the night that she came home  
Forever_

 _Oh, she's the only one that makes me sad…_ "

Riku was captivated, swaying slightly where Yuffie was jumping and screaming Axel on, his brother in similar fashion to the other side of her.

" _She is everything and more  
The solemn hypnotic  
My Dahlia, bathed in possession  
She is home to me_

_I get nervous, perverse when I see her it's worse  
But the stress is astounding  
It's now or never she's coming home  
Forever_

_Oh, she's the only one that makes me sad…_ "

Suddenly Riku had this mental image of a young man, fiery red hair falling in layered spikes down his shoulders and back, emerald green eyes burning into him as he sang, knowing it was Axel. It was Axel, singing to him, looking at him, and him looking back at him and _seeing him_ for the first time. The way his voice caught Riku, it was like he could make an image out of it. It was the most amazing thing he'd ever experienced since the accident. Acid green burning into him, Cheshire cat grin accenting his sharp features, fingers working his warlock guitar…

" _Hard to say what caught my attention  
Fixed and crazy, Aphid Attraction  
Carve my name in my face, to recognize  
Such a pheromone cult to terrorize:_

 _I won't let this build up inside of me…_ "

Marluxia and Larxene echoed his words for a moment, taking the time to play their solos, before Axel started in again.

" _Oh…I'm a slave, and I am a master  
No restraints and unchecked collectors  
I exist through my need, to self-oblige  
She is something in me, that I despise_

 _I won't let this build up inside of me…_ "

Those emerald eyes wouldn't let go of his own, shining down into his though Riku knew it was only in his mind. He was blind, he knew that. The world was an eternal black plane…but somehow, when he was singing, Axel could bring color back into that dark light.

" _She isn't real, I can't make her real,  
She isn't real, I can't make her real…_"

Maybe it was their hearts that were bringing them together, the empathy they shared. All Riku knew was he wanted to be with Axel, no matter what it took, he didn't want to be alone. Axel watched the boy from his place of the stage, catching Riku's eyes. If only he could really see him, know he was singing for him, knew the way his heart was burning in his chest, his breath coming hard. Axel could tell already he was crushing on the new kid, but he wouldn't have it any other way. The first day of the new school year had gone pretty amazing as far as he was concerned. He could only imagine how it would be for the rest of the semester.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics: Vermillion by Slipknot, Part One


	6. Forgotten

"So what'd you think?" Axel asked, Riku walking behind him through the crowd.

"It was awesome." Riku replied, conscious of the other boy's hand around his. "You're a really good guitarist, and singer."

Grinning Axel replied, "I'm glad you liked it." Reaching the edge of the crowd and breaking free from the swaying mass the red-head led the other boy back towards their blanket, adding; "Yuffie said you were looking right at me, like you could see me."

Smiling to himself Riku turned his head away, listening as _One Winged Angel_ once again riled the park into a screaming frenzy. That image of Axel was still burning in his mind; flaming hair and acid eyes, sharp features and a cat-like grin. Did Axel really look like that? There was no way of knowing. After all, it wasn't like Riku would ever see him…

"Riku?"

"Hn?"

Axel had turned back and looked at him, wondering to himself about the sad smile across the younger's face. "You gonna sit?"

Riku nodded, following Axel to the ground as he went to his knees, finding a comfortable position on the blanket and curling up on his side, head propped up as he looked over at Riku. The blind boy sat down gingerly, fingertips brushing Axel's shoulder, reassuring himself of the boy's presence before facing him. "So, what are we going to do now?"

Axel sighed, laying back and looking up at the night sky, the stars half hidden by wisps of autumn clouds carrying cold down to them. Out of the throng of people crowding the stage it was rather chilly. The red head caught Riku shivering. "You want me to take you home?" He asked; slight concern in his tone.

Blinking Riku replied, "No way, it's not even half over yet is it?"

With a smile Axel made an affirming noise. "But I'm done, we were only going to do a song or two, but the crowd was waiting for _O.W.A._ to come back out, and _Saberflight_. They're both more heard of than _Chakram_ , we only got together a few months ago."

Riku hesitated before saying, "Marluxia and Larxene seem nice. Do they not go to school with us?"

"No, they dropped out. I would have too if I had been a year older."

"Why?" Riku asked, eyebrows arching inward.

Axel shrugged though Riku didn't see. "Music is everything to them. It's that something that makes them happy." His voice was soft yet clear, speaking with an inner fire on his tongue. "Once you've found that something, nothing else matters, just pursuing that dream."

"Do you have a dream?"

Axel looked over at Riku, pale hair flowing slightly in the passing breeze, white-blue eyes reflecting the neon spotlights on the stage, making his irises look iridescent. "Music, I guess. And I like photography…" He replied; captivated by the way Riku was glowing. The colors were accenting his features in an almost urethral way.

"And fire, right?" Riku asked, "You like fire; the power and beauty that it holds."

"…Beauty…" Axel whispered, Riku catching the word and tilting his head slightly. Another breeze swept along the tree line, a shudder wracking the blonde's shoulders from the sudden chill. Axel's eyes watched thoughtfully, emerald pools shimmering with questions and emotions. He couldn't believe how drawn he was to this boy. They hadn't known one another for even the length of a full day and already he was mesmerized by him. Reaching out a hand he took Riku's arm, pulling him forward, the boy laying down beside him and allowing the older to pull him to his chest.

Pressing his cheek to the warmth of Axel's shoulder Riku let his unseeing eyes close partially in relaxation, letting Axel's breathing drown out the music on stage. Blushing slightly, the boy whispered, "Won't someone say something if they see us like this?"

Blinking the red head whispered back, "Why would they? Is there something wrong?"

"No," Riku replied, "it's not that. It's just…no, never mind."

Axel's eyes softened as he noticed the flush across the younger's face, a grin tugging the corners of his lips. Curling around the boy slightly, burying his face in Riku's hair, he couldn't help but notice the boy smelled faintly of blueberry. Remembering the pop tarts from earlier, and then realizing it had been hours since they had last eaten, he asked, "Are you hungry?"

Riku looked up slightly, meeting Axel's eyes momentarily. "Kind of, not too bad though. Why, are you?"

"Wouldn't mind skipping the rest and grabbing a bite." The other replied. "We could head back to my place if you didn't want to go home yet. It's getting cold out anyway."

Riku shifted, hands brushing Axels' chest, expression thoughtful. "You're being really nice to me, you know that right?" The blind boy let his fingertips trace the contours of the other boy's frame, touching his collarbone and shoulders gently. "I usually don't have people treat me this way. I'm used to being alone."

"You're not alone anymore," Axel replied softly, then added in a teasing manner, "no more privacy for you. I'm going to be dragging you around all the time. You'll be so sick of me you'll run when you hear me coming."

Riku laughed lightly, sitting up as the older let go of him and did the same, getting to his feet and picking up their drinks and blanket. Hands full, Riku held onto his back pocket as they made their way to the parking lot, Axel promising to call Reno and the others to let them know where they had gone. Thought Riku was slightly uneasy at leaving without saying something more to Sora, and maybe Roxas, he dismissed the feeling. He'd see Sora tomorrow at school. It would be fine. The brunette needed time alone with his boyfriend anyway.

Reaching the black hummer Axel unlocked the vehicle and shoved the blanket in the back, tossing the lukewarm cola's into a nearby trash bin, before climbing into the drivers seat and watching Riku as he lifted himself into the passenger's. Doors closed and seatbelts secured Axel took to the road, the boys stopping at Dairy Queen's drive thru to get something to eat, and then returning to Axel's house. It was only just past nine but the sky had long ago turned pitch black, the night coming in sooner now that it was the middle of autumn. Parking, grabbing their food in one hand and Riku's hand in the other, the red head ascended the steps to his home and walked them back to his room. A few maids said hushed greetings to him as he walked the corridors, Riku not feeling quite as out-of-place as he had when taking the route a few hours ago. The scent of lavender and cinnamon once again overwhelmed his senses as they entered Axel's room, the older boy shutting the door behind Riku as the younger felt his way to the bed, sighing as he sat down.

"Much warmer." He concluded, hands tracing the covers of the bed once again, marveling in their softness. "You sure it's okay to eat up here? We'll get your room dirty."

"Eh, even so, the maids clean every day anyway, whether anything's dirty or not." Axel said, shrugging. He walked over to join Riku on the bed, sitting with his legs crossed as he dove into the paper bag that held their dinners. "Might as well give them something to fuss about. Hell, it may even keep them out of my clothes."

Riku coughed, hiding a laugh, amused at his friend's reasoning. Axel touched a wrapped burger to his hands, the blind boy taking it tentatively, and then the fries to accompany it. "Thank you." He said, munching on a fry, savoring the salty taste.

"No problem." Axel replied, taking a huge mouthful of burger, watching as Riku nibbled his fries, then gingerly grew boulder and started taking actual bites. Grinning Axel took another bite of his burger, thinking to himself how cute the other boy was, despite trying to put on a cool guise and act aloof. "So what do you want to do for a couple of hours?"

Riku blinked, setting the fries down beside him and unwrapping his cheeseburger. "I don't know. What is there to do?"

"Oh I dunno, we could…" Axel hesitated, the sudden remembrance that Riku was blind hitting him a bit harder than it should have. What could they do? Play video games? Watch a movie? Take pictures? Those all took eyesight.

Sensing Axel was lost for words Riku took a bite of his sandwich, and then asked after a moment, "Could you play something for me?"

Axel looked over at the boy, confused. "Play you something?"

"On the guitar." Riku replied. "Oh, wait, you left it at the park didn't you."

"My warlock yeah, but I've got others." Axel replied, shoving the last of his burger in his mouth, wiping his hands on his jeans, then getting up to walk across the room, opening a side door. Fishing through the contents for a moment he soon returned to Riku's side, guitar in hand, sitting on the edge of the bed and strumming it into tune. "This is one of my favorites; a _Gibson SG Special_ , bright blue with baby blue inlay. It's really old though. I haven't played it in a while."

Dusting his hands off on his jeans as well, putting the rest of his food aside, Riku turned towards Axel, listening as the older boy played a soft melody on the worn strings. "Is that _The Light That Blinds_ **(1)**?"

"Yeah, good ear. What about this one?"

" _Jessica_ **(2)**."

Axel, grinning, changed it to another.

" _Misirlou_ **(3)**."

"You're good at this. I had to watch people's hands and think about the notes they were playing before I could recognize different guitar lines in songs." Strumming a few random chords Axel added. "By themselves, without the other parts playing with them, it's hard to recognize songs like that. You don't seem to have any trouble with it at all."

Riku shrugged, grinning slightly. "May I?" He asked, extending his hands.

"Sure." Axel placed the guitar in the boy's hands gently, watching as he adjusted it against him to play left-handed. "You know how to play?"

Riku, fingers tracing the strings lightly, chorded a few struts before beginning to play, slowly at first, then gaining confidence and starting to sing softly.

" _And I'd give up forever to touch you  
Cause' I know that you feel me somehow  
You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be  
And I don't want to go home right now  
_

 _And all I can taste is this moment  
And all I can breathe is your life  
_ _Cause' sooner or later its over  
I just don't want to miss you tonight…_" _  
_

Axel was amazed. Not only could Riku play guitar, he could also really sing. He seemed rather shy about it, his voice soft and light, but his fingers pressed the strings of the Gibson with confidence. He knew what he was doing; he just needed the self confidence to go with it. The red head smiled softly, watching Riku's expression shift as he began to sing again. If Axel didn't watch himself he might have competition in the music scene around Dashilaw. The new kid in town had mad skills.

" _And I don't want the world to see me  
Cause' I don't think that they'd understand  
When everything's made to be broken  
I just want you to know who I am…_"

Riku went into a short solo, looking over in Axel's direction, smiling slightly. The other boy watched, waiting for him to continue.

" _And you cant fight the tears that ain't coming  
Or the moment of truth in your lies  
When everything feels like the movies  
Yeah, you bleed just to know you're alive_

 _And I don't want the world to see me  
Cause I don't think that they'd understand  
When everything's made to be broken  
I just want you to know who I am…_" **(4)**

Strumming out the chords leading to the last verse, expression soft and content as he listened to the notes sound from the guitar he held. He wasn't at all expecting the string he pressed down upon to snap. The sharp wire curled back and sliced open the back of his right hand, blood surfacing immediately as the instrument let out a piercing twang. Riku flinched away, nearly dropping the guitar, Axel exclaiming a few choice words before taking the guitar and setting it down, then looking at Riku's hand. "Shit, I'm sorry. I didn't think the strings were that old. I should have grabbed a guitar I had played more recently."

"No, it's okay." Riku said, cradling his hand. "Strings break, it happens." Worried about getting blood on Axel's furniture, the boy asked, "Is it bad?"

Axel stood from the bed, saying as he walked to the bathroom adjacent to his room, "It's bleeding if that's what you mean. Hold on, I'll get something for it."

Riku agreed silently, reaching up to trace the line across his skin, feeling the hot liquid surfacing from the cut. Axel was back a few moments later, taking the boy's hand and wiping the blood away with a cloth, applying Neosporin and then a large Band-Aid. (It was a lime green Band-Aid with pink and blue kitties on it, but the red head wasn't planning on informing his friend on the exact details.) Axel looked up, searching Riku's expression. The boy didn't look like he was in any serious pain, but the older still apologized once again. The blonde laughed, "Axel I'm fine. It's just a scrape. It'll be better in no time."

"Fine, I'll stop trying to be your mother. I just feel bad is all." The older boy noticed Riku looking over at him, the younger's expression slightly confused. "It's like, I don't know if you're getting hurt because you're around me, or if you're just really accident prone."

Laughing, Riku asked, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, you burned your hand earlier, got lost at the park, and now you've cut yourself. I'm going to have to put you in a giant plastic bubble."

Rolling his dead eyes Riku shook his head, lying down on the bed, one arm slung over his face. "Guess it's just me. I'm pretty much in need of a follow-along hospital as many fixes as I've gotten myself into. Especially after the whole "going blind" thing; that was pretty much all me anyway."

The red head laid down on the bed as well, turning on his side so he was looking slightly down on Riku. "So…what exactly happened anyway."

The blind boy moved his hand, turning towards the sound of Axel's voice, meeting his eyes and hovering there a moment before wandering away, searching the empty darkness for the sound of that voice again. "Sora left late one night, and when he did we forgot to exchange our information. When I realized it, I ran to his house but they had already left." His tone was emotional, expression a mixture between sadness and regret. "Back in my home town, we had a lake. There was this giant willow tree by the lake Sora and I had claimed as our own. It was our place. We were always there doing something or another. Sora had mentioned he wanted to climb to the top of the tree to look at the stars. I don't know if it was just because Sora had said something, or if subconsciously I thought maybe I could catch a glimpse of their car getting on the highway. Either way I climbed up to the top. I don't really remember the rest, but the branch I had been sitting on broke and I fell." His uninjured hand reached out and gently fisted Axel's t-shirt as he turned to face the other boy, his gaze distant. "On the way down I must have hit one of the limbs."

Axel's tone was gentle as he asked, "There was no way they could do anything? No surgery or transplant or anything?"

Riku thought a moment, and then replied, "I'm pretty sure I was too young for them to do anything about it, eye surgeries are fairly risky. I went to therapy and took classes to learn brail, but I've never really considered corrective surgery." He thought a moment longer then let out a sigh, seeming to dismiss the thought. "It's alright. I'm used to it now." He released his grip on Axel's shirt, pressing his hand to the boy's thrumming heartbeat. "I can sense things on a level I couldn't when I could see. And though everything's dark I can still remember what things used to look like. I can write and draw if I really try at it, and everything else I can just deal without. I can live without my sight."

"But what if you could get it back, your eyesight;" Axel asked, "Would you risk the operation and do it?"

Riku smiled, replying with teasing in his voice, "Unlike you I don't have the kind of money to even consider doing something like that. It would cost way too much for something I don't have to have." Rolling onto his back, looking up at the ceiling, he added, "Besides, my parents are really busy with their jobs; they spend everything they have just keeping the house going and putting food on the table. They couldn't afford to do something like that for me. They've already done enough with all the medical bills they had to pay when all of this first happened."

Sensing it was better to just drop the subject for now; Axel sat up, sighing and looking down at the Gibson standing against the wall. _It's all your fault_. He thought with a glare. _I was having a good time listening to him play too and you had to go and ruin it._ Suddenly Riku let out a yip and jumped slightly, panicking for a moment. Axel, completely confused, watched as the boy reached into his pocket and pulled out his vibrating cell phone, answering it tentatively. "Hello?"

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

" _Hello?_ "

"Hey bro, where are you?" Cloud asked, Zack at his side as they mingled around the tree line in the park. Having noticed the spot where he and the red headed kid had been sitting was no longer occupied, Cloud thought it rather within his big brother duties to check up and make sure said little brother wasn't…you know, getting raped or something. "You leave already?"

" _Yeah, Axel and I bailed to go grab some food. We're hanging out at his house right now._ "

"He's going to take you home? Or you want me to come get you when I leave?"

" _No, Axel's going to take me back. It's fine Cloud. Thanks though. Everyone there having fun?_ "

Cloud, blushing slightly as Zack nibbled his ear, replied, "Yeah, fun. We'll say that."

" _Okay then_." Riku replied, another voice in the background saying something before the boy added, " _If Naminé asked later, make sure you reassure her of Axel's 'lemur' status._ "

"Do I want to know?" The older blonde asked, listening to the younger boys stifling their laughs on the other side of the line. "Guess not then."

" _No really, I'm having a great time. I'll talk to you later, okay? Don't wait so long to come see me again, or I'll be hunting you down at parties like I did tonight!_ "

"Okay, Riku. Night bro."

" _Night._ " -click-

Sighing as he pulled his cell away from his ear Cloud looked over to Zack at his side, the dark haired boy watching in amusement. "Did I hear him say something about a lemur?"

"Yes, much in the same way as you are a sofa."

"Am not."

"Then take back the 'cute' comment you thought I didn't hear when I called to check up on my brother."

"Damn, you have good hearing, you know that?"

Grinning the younger replied, "Yes, well, I try."

Zack rolled his eyes, looking through the crowd, trying to look exasperated. "Looks like the others are going to be hanging out near the stage for a while." He paused a moment, then turned back to look at Cloud, his violet irises meeting azure. "Want to get out of here?"

Cloud searched Zack's eyes, asking after a moment, "And go where?"

"Well, we do have to go back to the mall and get your car. We could hang out for a while; maybe grab something sweet from the candy shop since Reno won't be there to embarrass us."

Laughing, Cloud agreed. They returned to Zack's viper, the red reflecting the dancing lights from the concert, shouts echoing across the park. Night life here sure was more entertaining than it had been back at home. They didn't have concerts, stay out late, or go to the mall. Their mall hadn't even really been a mall at all, just a few stores pressed together. Dashilaw's mall stayed open until midnight, and was bigger than the college. The stores within it ranged from places like _Spencers_ and _F.Y.E._ **(5)** to _Books-a-Million_ and _Icing_ **(6)**.

The _Sweete Shoppé_ was a huge candy store at the center of the mall; the walls nothing but glass cubby-holes filled with different candies. They stood on display for all to see, taunting, willing you to take a scoopful and enter a heavenly sugar-coated bliss. Tables stood at the four corners of the room, their surfaces covered with various sweets. Mini columns of gingerbread and chocolate towered atop one table, another stacked with gumballs and jawbreakers so big you would never be able to fit them into your mouth.

A short drive and walk later Cloud and Zack found themselves strolling among said tables, searching the walls for something just right to quell their cravings. Zack's devious mind returned to Cloud's earlier show concerning chocolate-covered strawberries, a grin crossing his face as he laid eyes on the delicious treats. "What do you feel like getting?" the dark haired man asked, walking around a couple of girls who were ogling the gummies section of a nearby wall. The blonde boy was looking at some caramel and strawberry truffles put in pretty rows across a table, marveling at their fancy designs.

"I dunno; there's so many to choose from. I like strawberry truffles though."

Zack walked over to his side, brushing his hand against Cloud's side, smiling down at him. "Want me to get you some?"

Blushing slightly Cloud looked away, replying, "I have money you know, I'm just not sure if I want the truffles or something else is all." Turning back to face the boy he asked, "What are you in the mood for?"

Violet eyes returned to the walls, looking back towards the strawberries. "I think I know what I'm getting. You decide and meet me out front, okay?"

"Okay," the blonde replied, turning back to the truffles. He picked up a small bag, a wrapping sheet and grabbed two strawberry truffles, two caramel ones, then looked around to see if he noticed anything else he liked. Immediately Peeps caught his eyes. "Marshmallows…" he whispered to himself, smile crossing his face. His most absolute favorite-est thing in the world! Grabbing a handful of the yellow duck-shaped marshmallow treats he headed to a counter to pay, noticing Zack was waiting for him near the entrance, a bag in his hand as well. He handed the cashier his money, took his change, and walked over to meet the other boy, watching as he popped a chocolate into his mouth. "What'd you get?" He asked.

"Chocolate drops with blackberry filling, and chocolate covered strawberries. You?"

"Truffles and some Peeps." He replied, watching the man lick his lips.

Zack laughed lightly, starting to walk down the crossing hallway, heading towards the massive, crowded arcade. "Old school. You ever have Peeps wars?"

Cloud looked at him in slight confusion as he walked at his side, raising an eyebrow. "Is it something I want to know?"

"Heheh, it's nothing bad." Zack replied. "You take two Peeps and you stick them in the microwave, and then see which one blows up first. Where'd you come from again, Bores-ville?"

"Accurate enough." Cloud replied with a shrug. "And wouldn't you want things in your microwave _not_ to explode?"

"It's not like " _BOOM_ " explode. The air in the marshmallow expands and they blow up like balloons then eventually burst. It's just messy, but it's fun to watch."

"Uh huh…" The younger murmured, looking around at the people walking the mall, several people looking the two boys over and smiling in their directions. "Someone once told me looking into a microwave can give you radiation poisoning. Make you glow in the dark and all that. Or was it that it'll fry your brain?"

"You been looking into a microwave recently?" Zack teased, popping another chocolate drop into his mouth, chewing it slowly. "I'm pretty sure that's just a rumor. I mean, if that were true wouldn't all of our food we cook that way get radiation poisoning? Last time I checked I don't glow in the dark, so I think it'll be alright."

Letting out a mock sigh Cloud dug into his bag and produced a Peeps, biting it in half and going straight on a beam of light up to heaven. There was nothing better than a marshmallow, ever. Whoever invented them should be promoted to sainthood. The arcade appeared before them, more people than Cloud had expected filling out several of the games. There was a group of people watching competitors have a dance-off at _D.D.R._ , some boys racing and cursing loudly at one another, a few girls playing air-hockey, and other various singles dotting games here and there throughout the noisily beeping games room.

Zack took Cloud's hand and pulled him along with him, heading for an unoccupied section of the arcade that just happened to have a row of Ski-ball machines. "Come on, play a few rounds with me."

"How do you play?" Cloud asked; looking at the long ramp leading up to a net-covered target sign with hollowed out holes, random numbers placed on the various rings along the target.

Zack looked at the other boy incredulously. "You've never played Ski-ball. Oh come _on_ , your town was a cardboard box. Admit it."

Sticking his tongue out at the older he watched a quarter being thrust into the coin slot, a stack of wooden balls coming down the side of the ramp and into Zack's waiting hand. The dark man drew back like one would a bowling ball (yes a bowling alley was one of the few things Cloud's old town _had_ had) and released it up the curving slope, the ball jumping into a ring and gliding down to a hole in the target sign. The electronic score board above the net blinked with the new score, Zack taking another ball and repeating the action, again and again. Cloud watched in amusement. He'd never seen such an expression on Zack's face before. He looked like a little kid winning at a game for the first time. An inner light brightened his eyes and gave his cheeks a natural, exhilarated flush. He was gorgeous.

Catching Cloud staring Zack leaned in and kissed his lips lightly, the younger boy blushing at the unexpected yet welcomed gesture. Teasing grin across his face Zack walked off again, holding Cloud's hand. "If you've never played Ski-ball then there's no way you've ever played _D.D.R._ , and that is something you just have got to try."

" _D.D.R._?" Cloud asked.

"It was that game we saw when we first came in that every one was watching, _Dance Dance Revolution_." Zack replied, catching the slightly apprehensive look across the blonde's face. "It's so much fun when you get the hang of it; let's see if we can catch a game once those other people are done. Maybe then there won't be anyone to watch us mess up."

"I'm sure you're great at it, and I've never even heard of it." Cloud said with a pout. "It's not fair; I wish I had been born in this city. It feels like there's so much stuff that I've missed out on. I want to be good at all of this too."

"Well then I'll teach you. Trust me, it'll be fun."

Slightly unsure if he wanted to risk the humiliation or not Cloud ate the other half of his marshmallow duck, wondering just how hard the game could be. It was a dancing game, so maybe you just had to dance better than the other person? He wondered how good at this game Zack was, walking after the boy and watching the other kids play the game, playfully laughing at their missteps and cheering at their success. Eventually they gave up the pedestals, another two taking their place and the crowd fading a bit, until finally when they were done there was only a pair of girls lingering by the machines. Zack stepped forward, pulling a slightly reluctant Cloud along with him. They set their sweets down on an unused pinball machine beside the _D.D.R._ and took their posts, Cloud looking down at the flashing arrows at his feet with distaste. "Zack, I don't know if I like this."

"Oh come on, you haven't even started yet. Here, let me show you." Explaining where to stand, when to press down on the different arrows, how to do jumps when required to press down two buttons at once, and reminded repeatedly to listen to the beat. "Okay, you ready? I'm going to do it random so even I won't be prepared, alright?"

Nodding Cloud watched his companion put in a certain code and press a large flashing button before him. Music began to pulse out of the speakers surrounding them, the girls looking up from their conversation to watch, Cloud deciding it was better to just ignore them. The automatic voice chimed out a countdown, Zack giving him a thumbs up and a grin before turning to pay attention to the screen before him. Cloud did the same.

… _3…_

… _2…_

… _ready?…_

… _GO!_

Arrows started coursing up the screen, racing to meet a flashing bar at the top of the screen. Testing, Cloud pressed his foot against the arrow indicated as it touched the bar. _Good!_ flashed in neon, as did the next few he tried. Noticing he was slightly off the beat, he caught himself up a bit, _Groovy!_ and _Excellent!_ flashing brilliantly across the screen. Zack was doing better than he was of course, but he wasn't doing half-bad. He stumbled a bit when a few jumps were indicated but managed to somewhat pull them off, getting into the fun of it right about the time the song ended.

Seeing Cloud looked like he was ready for another round the dark haired man asked, "Again?"

"Yeah! I think I'm getting the hang of it."

Another practice song later Zack asked, "Okay, you ready for a fast one?"

Nodding, playful determination in his expression, the younger fisted a hand and held it before him. "I will prevail!"

Laughter sounded from behind him, the blonde turning and noticing the crowd for the first time. A half a dozen people or so were loitering around, watching the dance off. They could tell that things were about to get interesting. "You ready?" Zack asked, pressing in another code and taking his place, looking over at the other boy. Cloud smiled back and nodded once more.

The voice this time was different, since they were out of practice mode and actually into a challenge. A list of songs popped up, Cloud immediately spotting one he knew front, sideways, and backwards: _Less Talk More Rokk_ by _Freezepop_. "That one." He said, pointing.

Zack blinked, saying, "No, you don't want that one. Trust me, it's wicked fast."

Cloud shook his head, insisting. "I want to try it. It's just a game, it's okay if I loose. I want to dance to that one."

"Okay, you asked for it."

Cloud listened to the familiar beginnings of one of his favorite songs fire out of the speakers, the count down starting, the arrows forming at the bottom, more of them and pushed together so they seemed like almost a continuous line. "Here goes nothing…"

-x-x-x-

Needless to say, since Cloud knew the beat of the song he did rather well. Actually, he did so well he almost beat Zack, much to the older boy's amazement. Cloud got a high score to say the least, and rather amused the audience watching the boys. Smiling victoriously between pants he shot the older boy to his right a haughty look, slipping off of his platform, grabbing their candy, and taking off at a light run through the mall. Zack immediately got down and ran after him, calling, "You could have told me you were good at this! You nearly kicked my ass!"

"Not my fault you don't listen to any good music!" Cloud retorted with a laugh, running faster, almost knocking down a group of kids as he turned a corner, heading back to the front doors. Hitting the cold night air hard as he threw open the mall doors, Zack grabbed his arm momentarily before the blonde slipped away, teasing gestures guiding his movements as he ran to his car. The dark headed boy managed to grab hold of him and hang on this time.

Zack turned Cloud and pressed him to the side of the silver mustang, grinning down at his catch. "Got 'cha, you little thief."

Batting his eyelashes over aqua eyes the younger looked up at his captor, a smile teasing his lips. "And what are you going to do with me now that you've caught me?"

Grinning in return Zack replied, "Punish you of course." Warm lips met open, welcoming ones as he leaned in and touched the boy beneath him, Cloud melting into the kiss. Of all the people he'd tasted in his life Cloud had to be the sweetest. (Or maybe it was due to the chocolate from earlier?) Either way Zack couldn't stop himself, tilting his head to the side and kissing the boy deeper, listening as a soft sound escaped the other boy's throat.

Cloud was on…well…cloud nine. Zack was an excellent kisser, but then again he did have experience now didn't he? Not that Cloud didn't have a bit of experience himself, but it was nice when the other person knew what they were doing too. The older boy pulled away from him slightly, searching his eyes for any red flags, then dipped in again, kissing him harder. Another sigh drifted from the back of his throat, the older boy taking his breath for a moment, the blonde relaxing as Zack pressed his body more fully against his own, the mustang cool against his back.

Finally Zack seemed satisfied with his work, pulling away to look into Cloud's hazy, pleasure filled eyes. Grinning at the younger's furious blush he said, "Had fun tonight. We should hang out again."

"Hang out again," Cloud poked, "or make out again."

"Well, maybe a bit of both."

Rolling his eyes, blush fading, he handed the other boy his bag of sweets, but not before stealing one of those chocolate covered strawberries and popping it into his mouth. "Yeah, I bet you'd like that. But maybe I can beat you at _D.D.R._ next time." Thinking to himself for a moment he added, "Might have to bring Riku with us, I bet he'd be able to play by listening to the different chimes of the music. He loves to dance."

"Takes after his brother." Zack replied.

Shrugging, Cloud said in return. "I taught him my best moves. Kid's got game."

"Oh really, it's all you is it?"

"Damn straight."

Laughing at the comment Zack leaned in and gave the blonde a quick kiss, pulling away and waving over his shoulder, walking the few yards to his car. "See you tomorrow at school."

Smiling, Cloud called after him, "Night."

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

Riku and Axel had spent the last hour or so deconstructing clothes. Riku was good enough with his hands it made up for his lack of sight, the clothes he shredded and stamped, marked and sewed patches onto, looked amazing. "Mine!" Axel claimed as Riku finished killing a pair of the boy's pants, holding them up to look them over. Working with nothing to go by but his inner eyesight, the pale blonde had managed to paint, mark, stitch, and rip holes in all the right places. They were just about the sexiest things Axel had ever seen, well, except for the one who had made them. "I'm going to have to show them to Reno when he gets home, he'll love them! They're so awesome Riku."

Grinning brightly the blind boy replied, "I'm happy you like them. What colors did I use again?"

"Oh god where to start." Axel said, looking the pants over. "The jeans are a dark blue, the stitching you used was rainbow, the patch over the right calf is black and white striped, the two smaller patches on the left thigh are yellow with black stars, and you've shredded the front of the length of that leg. There's a hole right here above the right knee, and a few random black and silver stars from where you went Sharpie crazy. They're sweet."

Smiling again, Riku reached out to touch them, feeling over the patches and shredded material. "It was fun. We should destroy some more of your stuff."

"Yeah, we should. I'll make you some stuff too, since I'm keeping these. You want pants or shoes or a shirt? Maybe a hoodie, so next time we go to a concert you won't freeze to death?"

Riku nodded, "That would be nice actually. I'd like that very much."

"Alright then, I'll make you something. No prob." A chime from somewhere downstairs sounded out eleven times, Axel blinking in surprise. "It's really that late already?"

"Didn't realize it either." Riku added, saying in a teasing tone, "Naminé's going to kill me."

Eyes softening at the boy's mock expression of fear, punching him lightly on the shoulder, Axel got to his feet, helping Riku do the same. They left their things on the floor, walked past the table covered in photos, and put back on their shoes before leaving Axel's room. Walking through the eerily quiet house, Axel said softly, "My parents must be out again, doesn't sound like they're home."

Riku, confused, asked, "How do you know if they're home or not, your house is huge. Could they not be downstairs somewhere, or asleep?"

"No," Axel replied simply, tone somewhat taunt, "if they were home you'd be able to hear them. They can't stand to be in the same house as the other, no matter how huge it may be. They're both usually out of town. It's a lot quieter that way." Taking Riku's hand they walked down the hallway, leaving the haven of lavender and cinnamon behind them. "Reno and I stay here by ourselves."

"O-oh…" Riku whispered, wondering if he should apologize for asking about it. They wove down stairs and across a room, going out the front doors and into the night. Quickly getting out of the cold and into Axel's car they paused to turn on the heat and buckle up before heading down the road, Riku giving the red-head his address and hoping the boy knew where it was. He did, as a matter of fact Demyx and Zexion both lived fairly near Riku. "Within walking distance," Axel said, "but be careful of telling them that. Zexion's not bad about it, but Demyx will pop up in the middle of the night unannounced and won't leave until he feels like it."

"Sounds like something he'd do. Also kind of sounds like something you'd do too though."

"Well," Axel teased, "I _do_ know where you live now…"

"Oh god, I've got a stalker."

"You know you like it."

They arrived at Riku's house, pulled into the driveway, and turned off the car. As Riku was about to thank Axel for inviting him, the older boy asked, "What was it that your sister drives?"

"A purple cougar." Riku replied. "My mom has a minivan and my dad has a truck. Why, which cars are here?"

"None of them," Axel replied, "Naminé must not be here."

Startled, Riku unbuckled and got out of the car, Axel doing the same. The blind boy walked over to the side of the house, fingers tracing the side as he made his way to the front door, pulled out his key and opened it, then stepped into the dark, deserted house. "There's no one here?" Riku asked, turning back towards Axel.

The other boy stepped in behind him, flipping on a light switch and looking around. "No, there's no one."

Riku walked down the hallway, Axel closing the door and following him, watching as the younger pulled his cell phone from his pocket, dialed, and pressed the phone to his ear. They passed through the kitchen, down another hall, and into Naminé's room, Riku knowing she wasn't there but going and sitting on her bed despite himself. The dial tone in his ear kept ringing and ringing, until finally her voicemail picked up. Worry started setting in. He tried once more before calling his mother, who answered and said she hadn't heard from Naminé, then his father, who said basically the same thing. They were both on their way home, but it would be a few more hours for each of them. Both told him not to worry and to wait until they got home.

Cursing lightly, Riku hung up; sensing Axel had sat down beside him. "Do you think something's wrong?"

"I don't know." The younger replied, brows arching upwards. "She's never _ever_ let me get her voicemail. No matter if she was in the shower, driving, in class, hanging out with someone, she would always pick up if it was me."

"How would she know it was you?" Axel asked.

"Her ring tones," the boy replied, "she has a different ring tone for everyone she knows." Tilting his head to his lap, fingers tracing his cell phone, he said, "Mine is that song I played earlier on your guitar. It's one of her favorites. I just…it bothers me that she hasn't called me back or anything."

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

Tasogare lived on the outskirts of town, further than Naminé had realized. It didn't bother her any, he had plenty of gas and had offered in the first place, and still had plenty of time before night set it. Riku was probably enjoying his concert right about now. The stars were starting to appear in the darkening sky, the mint-haired girl commenting on how pretty they were against the fading red and orange. "There, my house is over this hill."

"And you were going to _walk_ home?" Naminé asked, raising an eyebrow at the girl.

"I like walking at night." Tasogare replied, looking up at the stars again. "There are so many things I love about this city; it's beautiful, especially at night. I like watching the light come on as the sun fades away, like the stars." She smiled, "Maybe it's a city up there in the clouds, that's why the stars come out when the sky goes dark. The people there need to light their streets too."

Naminé rather thought Tasogare was a bookworm, but she had to admit she was one too. Her poise was very eloquent, and she had a knowing presence about her, but not in a snooty way. She was very poetic as well, Naminé thought, she saw beauty in everything. Dropping off the girl at her driveway Tasogare thanked her and waved goodbye, Naminé calling, "See you at school tomorrow!" before driving back across the countryside, watching the sky darken and the stars brighten. Her thoughts wandered from her family to school to her life in general; the book she had been reading, her choice of attire for the next day. And then that key. What had it meant? What was it there for? _Advienne que pourra…_

There was a loud crash. A hard impact knocked the cougar into the left lane, raising it up on its two left wheels and pushing it into a downward spiral off the hill. Screaming, the blonde took her hands from the steering wheel and covered her head, balling into herself before her head hit the side of the window and knocked her out. The car rolled to a stop upside down, Naminé hanging still in her seatbelt, one pale arm falling towards where the car's roof hand once been, the fall having ripped it off. Her cell phone was on the dirt and grass just under her fingertips, slightly out of reach. It sang softly, the breeze carrying it off into the darkness.

" _And I don't want the world to see me  
Cause I don't think that they'd understand  
When everything's made to be broken  
I just want you to know who I am…_"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1)The Light That Blinds is by Shadows Fall
> 
> (2)Jessica is by The Allman Brothers Band
> 
> (3)Misirlou is by Dick Dale
> 
> (4)Lyrics: Iris by The Goo Goo Dolls
> 
> (5)F.Y.E. is a music/dvd/electronics store.
> 
> (6)Icing is a jewelry store.


	7. Gently

Cloud was driving back to his apartment, reliving the feel of Zack's lips against his, when his phone rang. Checking the caller id his eyebrows arched in confusion. _Why's Riku calling me…_ He answered the phone with a questioning tone. "What's up?"

" _Hey Cloud, have you heard anything from Naminé?_ "

Coming to a halt at a red light Cloud replied, "Not tonight, no. Why?"

" _Will you try calling her? She's not answering her phone._ "

"Yeah, I'll call you right back." Hanging up he dialed his little sister's cell number, waiting for her to pick up.

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

Kairi got wobbly out of her car, knees shaking as she tried to clear her throbbing head. Topping the hill she hadn't seen the other car coming, though she knew it was her fault for being so far in the other lane. She had just gotten her license and didn't want to drive too near to the hill for fear of going over the edge. This late at night, on a country road, she didn't think there would be anyone else out for her to worry about. She had been wrong. Searching the smoking road for signs of the other car she realized the skid marks lead down the incline she had been avoiding not moments ago, some sort of music playing from down the ravine.

"Oh god, what if I've killed someone…" Too afraid of the scene that might be strewn before her if she got any closer, the magenta-haired girl screamed into the night air. "Help! Somebody, please, help us!"

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

" _She wouldn't pick up for me either. Did she say if she was going anywhere tonight?_ "

Riku thought a moment, saying, "She said she was going to the library, but I haven't heard from her since this afternoon at school. She told me she'd be back before nightfall…"

Cloud hesitated then replied, " _I'll swing by the library and check to see if she's still there. Maybe she's somewhere in the building where there's no reception._ " There was a pause, and then," _Don't worry Riku, we'll find her. I'll call you back, okay?_ "

"Okay." The boy replied, saying goodbye and shutting his phone. Turning slightly he said to the boy sitting beside him, "Cloud's going to check the library. He said there might not be reception inside." Axel seemed to think of something, the sounds of rustling reaching Riku's ears. "What are you doing?" The blonde asked, reaching out to touch Axel's chest.

"It just occurred to me that there's really bad reception at the park too. Maybe she decided to stop by after we left. I'm going to see if I can reach Demyx and have him look around for her."

"That's a good idea." Riku said, his nervousness receding a bit. Why was he automatically assuming the worst? Naminé was probably fine somewhere, just temporarily out of reach. There was no reason for Riku to think that she'd gotten into…well…a wreck or something.

-x-x-x-

"Yeah I'll look around for her. No prob. Bye!" Demyx shoved his cell back in his pocket, returning to Zexion and Tidus.

"Who was that?" the brunette asked, taking a sip of his drink.

"Axel. He's over at Riku's house."

Zexion raised an eyebrow. "Well he doesn't waste any time."

Laughing, Demyx replied, "No it's not like that. Riku's sister, Naminé, she's kind of missing. Not answering her phone, they want us to look around in case she decided to drop by the gig."

"Oh I see." Tidus said, "I'll go tell Selphie and Wakka. Be right back."

And so the request was spread, from Demyx, Zexion, and Tidus, to Wakka and Selphie, to the older kids in the group. Leon, Aerith, and Vincent looked around for a bit, before finding Reno and Yuffie still among the front of the crowd, Kurei dancing with them. Relaying the news, then leaving to go search some more, Tidus walked off through the crowd back towards the others. Yuffie and Reno exchanged words for a moment, then Kurei leaned in and said, "I'm going to go call Taso, maybe she's seen Naminé." He wove his way out of the crowd, towards the river, dialing his friend's number and waiting to see what would happen next.

-x-x-x-

"Kurei! What are you up to? Still at the party?" Tasogare asked, slipping out of her shoes and walking over to her bed, taking off her earrings one-handed.

" _Yeah, hey listen. You haven't seen Naminé anytime tonight have you?_ "

Startled somewhat Tasogare asked, "Is there something wrong? I saw her less than an hour ago; she gave me a ride home."

" _Yeah, apparently she's not answering her phone. Riku's worried about her._ "

Puzzled, Tasogare said, "I'll see what I can do. I'll call you back."

-x-x-x-

Cloud walked around the outside of the library, looking in the windows, searching for any sign of movement inside. It looked like the building was closed for the night, a clerk stacking some papers together, an elderly lady putting books back on the shelves. The lights were dimmed, and there was no sign of Naminé. Turning to walk back across the street to his car, he pulled his phone from his pocked, dialing Riku. The boy answered almost immediately.

" _Did you find her?_ "

"No, she's not here." Cloud replied, looking up at the stars lighting the dark sky. "I don't know where she could be, this is starting to bother me. She would at least return our phone ca…"

The blonde went silent, eyes catching the end of a trail of smoke touching the edge of the sky, tracing it to a country road a few miles away. " _Cloud? Cloud what is it?_ "

"I'll have to call you back."

" _Cloud? What's wro-_ "

The older boy had already hung up, running to his mustang, revving the engine and starting towards the road he had spotted earlier. "Please don't let this be what I think it is…"

-x-x-x-

Tasogare looked at her watch. What was taking Kairi so long? Her younger cousin had called her earlier, telling her she'd reach her house around nine or so. It was reaching ten. Not to mention Naminé was missing, something the girl didn't quite understand. She had been heading home, hadn't she? Why wasn't she answering her phone? Sighing, walking though her house and standing on the porch after sliding on her slippers, Tasogare decided to give Kairi a call, to make sure the new driver hadn't gotten lost or anything. Knowing Kairi she very well may have stopped at the park to jam out with the locals. Smiling, she walked back into the house, grabbed the phone off the wall, and dialed the girl while returning outside to greet her cats. Nyao and Miki were resting on the swing on the far side of the porch, Tailo running across the yard when Tasogare walked out along the driveway, searching down the road for any sign of headlights. She saw something at the top of the hill but couldn't quite make it out, then noticed the smoke wafting up from a bump on the road. A wave of horror washed through the mint-haired girl when Kairi finally picked up the phone. She was crying hysterically.

"Kairi!" Tasogare shouted, trying to get the girls attention, voice barely audible over the girl's wracked sobs. "Kai-chan listen to me, tell me where you are."

" _I-I…I don't know, I'm somewhere down your road I think_." She managed between cries. " _I've been in a wreck. I hit someone_."

Tasogare dropped the phone and started running.

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

Riku, if he could have 'looked', would have been looking in horror at his phone, the dead dial tone echoing through Naminé's silent bedroom. Axel, worry in his tone, asked, "What is it? Are you alright?"

"Naminé…there's something very wrong. Cloud hung up on me."

"You think he found something?"

Riku swallowed hard, fisting his hands in Axel's shirt. "Naminé's my everything, I don't know what would happen if I-"

"Don't say things like that!" Axel interjected, shaking Riku slightly. "We don't know anything for sure. He'll call you back, he won't leave you in the dark."

"Axel…" The red head looked down at the boy, wrapping his arms around him. "I'm scared."

-x-x-x-

Kairi dropped her phone as soon as she realized Tasogare wasn't there anymore, falling to her knees, too in shock to even think about calling for an ambulance, or the police. She cradled herself, images of death passing before her clouded eyes, screaming at her helplessness, her fear, her despair. This whole situation was unimaginable. All she had wanted to do was come visit her cousin. It wasn't supposed to be this way. Nothing like this was supposed to ever happen. The music was changing and fading in the background of the fire erupting from the car below, something igniting the fuel leaking out of the cougar, Kairi rising to her feet in panic. "I have to help them, they could still be…"

"Kairi! Where are you!"

The girl turned towards the sound of the voice, watching Tasogare running up the road, panic in her eyes. "Taso I'm here! Oh god, help me! The other car just caught on fire!"

Tasogare reached her side, looking over the hill to spot the purple cougar below, flames flashing from the upturned car, a pale arm dangling much too near the blaze. "Naminé!"

The older girl slid down the dip, tumbling slightly at the end, losing one of her slippers among the rubble littering the destroyed trees around the car. "Taso what do we do?" Kairi called from the road above, hysteria clear across her features.

"Call for help! The police! An ambulance! We have to get help!"

Kairi ran back towards her car, the bright green bug dented from head to toe, searching the pavement for her cell phone. Light flashed across her eyes for a moment then faded, and she looked up, realizing someone was beginning to head this way from town, headlight flaring to illuminate the scene. She spotted her cell during the next flash of light, picking it up and dialing 911. The silver mustang came to a halt a few yards from the bug, lights remaining on as the driver exited the car, calling as he started towards her, "Are you alright?"

About that time the emergency operator picked up, " _911 what is your emergency_?"

"I need an ambulance, there's been an accident…"

Cloud left the magenta-haired girl and looked over the incline, eyes widening in shock. Practically throwing himself down the hill he raced to Tasogare's side, where the girl was trying to pry Naminé's door open, calling to the unconscious girl to wake up. Naminé was out cold. "Naminé!" Cloud shouted, "Naminé, wake up!" He dug his hands into the door frame keeping him from reaching his little sister, a super human strength possessing him as he pulled the hinges loose, fingers bleeding as the metal cut into his hands. "Sis, wake up! Hey, can you reach her?"

"Yeah, can you hold it?"

"I'll manage. Hurry."

The girl slipped into the gap between the twisted door and the car's frame, grabbing hold of the albino's shoulder, hoisting her up and unbuckling her seatbelt, lowering her slowly so she was lying against the ground, neck twisted awkwardly. "I don't know if we should move her anymore…she's hurt."

"We have to, the fire's spreading!" the boy replied, "Please, I can't hold it much longer."

As gently as she could Tasogare pulled Naminé up to her chest, the girl unmoving, as limber as a rag doll. She pulled back, falling with Naminé against her, right before Cloud let go of the door and it slammed back against its twisted frame. He took his sister from her quickly, drawing back as much as he could, Taso getting to her feet. "The fire's getting closer to the fuel tank…"

"Shit, let's go."

Somehow or another the two managed to drag themselves up the hill, Cloud cradling Naminé to his chest protectively, talking to her, trying to get her to respond. Sirens wailed in the distance. Kairi watched her cousin and the boy bring the girl who had been in the other car up the hill, tears sparkling in her eyes. "I didn't mean…I didn't, I-I didn't…"

Tasogare walked over to the distraught girl, for the first time her concern for her cousin overshadowing her concern for Naminé. "Are you okay? Your forehead's bleeding."

Kairi blinked, looking down at her arms and side, blood pooling from various wounds. "I don't know, I'm pretty numb…I was so worried, I thought maybe she was…"

"No, she's alive."

The two girls looked over to Cloud, the blonde boy standing by the side of his car, fingertips pressed to his sister's jugular. Naminé was sitting in the driver's seat, head lolled to one side in her unconsciousness, bruises forming along her collarbone and forehead from where she had bumped them on impact. Kairi seemed to visibly wobble, Tasogare catching her, the smaller girl shaking in a shock-like state.

The ambulances arrived a few minutes later, the two paramedics coming over to assess both Kairi and Naminé. Kairi had a few broken ribs and a concussion, though no one was quite sure why Naminé wasn't waking up. She had a broken arm and collarbone. They put the unconscious girl on a stretcher, hoisted her into the back of the ambulance and helped Kairi sit down beside her, then drove off to the hospital downtown. Cloud and Tasogare climbed into his mustang, following after the wailing vehicle before them. The boy, not quite sure if what was happening was real or not, reached for his phone, pulling it from his console. He dialed the first number that came to his mind. Zack picked up the phone.

" _Hey sexy. What you up to?_ "

"Zack? Would you do me a favor?"

" _Sure,_ " he replied, sensing there was something amiss, barely able to hear the ambulance sirens in the background, " _Are you okay? What's wrong?_ "

"My little sister, she was in a car wreck. Will you meet me at the hospital?"

" _Yeah, I'll be there as soon as I can. See you in a sec._ "

Cloud smiled, heart clenching painfully, throat choking slightly. "Thank you."

The call ended, Cloud dialing one more number, waiting for his little brother to pick up the phone.

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

"Hello?"

" _Riku…it's Cloud._ "

Gulping, Riku replied, "I know who it is, where's Naminé? Did you find her?"

There was a long pause on the line, the blind boy listening to the sirens echoing through the phone, Tasogare's voice mingling with Cloud's as they exchanged a few quick words. " _Riku, I want you to listen to me closely, and I don't want you to panic. We're already at the hospital…_ "

"Hospital?" Riku's heart was beating a mile a minute, Axel watching his expression, rubbing the boy's shoulder. "Why are you at the hospital? What happened?"

" _Naminé's been in a car accident_."

Time seemed to stop. Neither boy spoke; the only sounds the wailing sirens and the brushing of Axel's hands across the fabric of Riku's shirt. Finally the boy asked, "Is she…okay?"

" _We don't know for sure, we're walking through the parking lot. I'm going to have to go, there's no cell phones allowed inside. Ask Axel if he'll bring you here_."

Axel heard the question, replying, "Of course, tell him we'll be there in just a minute."

-x-x-x-

A short ride later Axel was leading Riku through hospital corridors and to a waiting room. Cloud was pacing silently, oblivious to the two boys who had just entered. Zack was watching the blonde pace, eyes worried, but just as oblivious to the new arrivals. Tasogare looked up however, smiling over at Axel and Riku, saying softly, "Hey guys."

Riku stepped up to Axel's side, reaching out a hand. "Cloud?"

The blonde snapped out of his musings, noticing his brother for the first time, reaching out to take Riku's hand, drawing him in for a hug. "Hey, you okay?"

"How's Naminé?" Riku asked, fisting Cloud's sides. "Where is she? Why aren't we with her?"

"The doctors are taking x-rays. They think she may have hurt her back…fractured something."

An hour passed in that silent room before someone finally came to talk to them. He was wearing glasses, his gray-blonde hair spiked back slightly, a small scar crossing his nose and cheek. "Hello, my name is Doctor Cid. I'm the one taking on Naminé's case." He reached out a hand towards Cloud, who took it and shook it firmly before both men drew away. The man's gaze shifted towards the floor slightly, his hands crossing as he said, "I'm afraid I have some bad news."

Axel stood between Tasogare and Riku, Cloud watching the doctor as if his very words could change the course of time, Zack's hand on his shoulder. "How bad?" Cloud asked, searching the older man's eyes.

"The way she was hit, from a slight angle, knocked her car into a roll." The doctor said, looking between the kids before him. "When she came to a stop she was upside down, which worsened the fracture she already had from the initial impact. Not to mention how hard she hit her head against the window…she nearly died tonight."

"What's wrong with her?" Riku asked shakily. "Is she going to be alright?"

"Naminé is in a catatonic state." Cid replied slowly. "There's no telling when she will regain consciousness. Her physical injuries; the broken arm and collar, they will heal with time bu-"

"Wait, catatonic?" Cloud asked, words choked and wavering. Riku clutched him tighter, liquid pooling in the corners of his dead eyes.

"Yes, catatonic." The man replied, watching the other boys sympathetically. "In other words, your sister is in a coma, and there's no way to tell when or if she'll wake up again."

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

A few hours later Axel and Riku were at the door to Naminé's intensive care room, the doctors dealing with Cloud until their parents arrived, Zack staying with the boy. Tasogare had gone to check on Kairi, who was resting on another floor. The blind boy was squeezing Axel's hand as the older boy opened the door with his other hand, pulling Riku along with him, the sound of a monitors beeping filling their ears. Riku pulled on Axel's arm, asking, "How does she look? Is she okay?"

Axel looked over at the small girl, an oxygen mask over her nose and mouth, IV in her arm, several wires hooked up to machines nearby to constantly check her breathing, heart rate, and brainwaves. Her creamy skin was flaring red and purple in spots, her left arm in a cast, hair tangled all around her face. "She's fine, Riku. A bit bruised, but she's okay, really."

"Can I touch her?" Riku asked, reaching out a shaking hand. "Do you think that I'd hurt her?"

Axel's eyes softened, taking Riku's hand and guiding it to Naminé's. "No, here. Be careful not to move up any, there's an IV there."

"Okay…" Riku's fingertips slipped across Naminé's; feeling the clamp around her index finger that was registering her pulse. The monitors bleeped in time with her heartbeat, echoing in the small room, making Riku feel like he was about to be sick as the reality of the situation sank in. "She's really in a coma…isn't she…"

Axel didn't respond, knowing the question didn't need an answer. He felt so weak, unable to come up with a way to comfort his new friend. This had been the best day ever; meeting Riku and Naminé, having classes together, going to the gig at the park…and now this. "It's surreal." Axel whispered. "You two have only just started school, just moved here, I don't understand why this happened."

"Cloud said something about Tasogare's cousin." Riku said softly, playing with Naminé's fingers affectionately. "She was the one in the other car."

"Kairi?" Axel questioned, "That pink-haired brat from Hishimo **(1)**? She must have been coming to visit on her fall break. Their school schedules are different than ours; she's probably been in classes for a few months already."

"I know it's a horrible thing to say…" Riku whispered, bangs passing before his eyes, shadowing his expression, "But why was it Naminé who got the worst of it?"

Axel didn't know how to answer such a twisted thought, putting aside his surprise at the sudden cold anger from the usually gentle boy, trying to understand the pain Riku must be going through. The battle he must have been fighting within himself. Naminé was his sister, his best friend, someone who was always there for him. She knew everything about him, and he knew everything about her. They were connected in so many ways, and now it was like the girl had been cut off from Riku. He had no way to talk to her, to see her, to be with her other than holding her lifeless hand. There was no one to lead him now, no one to shelter him, not until she surfaced from her break with reality. Axel reached out; wrapping his arms around the younger's shoulders, trying to find something to say. "Riku, I'm here with you. I'm not going anywhere." The boy turned slightly, tilting his head towards Axel's voice. "I know you're hurting, but you have to believe she's going to wake up. She's strong, she'll fight this. And while she's fighting I'll be here with you. Me, Dem, Zex, Yuffie, and everyone else. Don't forget that."

"I know you will." Riku replied, voice cracking as he struggled against crying. "I just…she's always been there. I've never not been able to talk to her…"

"Then talk to her." Axel said, squeezing Riku lightly. "I'm sure she can hear you, even if she can't talk back. You just have to believe."

Riku turned back towards his little sister, figure masked under wires, machines, and a thin white sheet. "I love you Naminé." He whispered. "Please get better soon. I'll be here waiting for you, okay?"

The monitors bleeped steadily, brainwaves staying steady, the drip of the IV monotonous and hollow. Axel pulled Riku's arm, drawing the boy away from his sister. "Come on; let's go see if your parents are here yet."

"Okay."

-x-x-x-

Zack and Cloud were sitting in a small office, Cloud shuffling through some papers and filling out parts of the forms he knew, waiting for his mother and father to arrive. He had called them earlier, told them what had happened, and they had promised they were on their way. The blonde had fallen into a silence since hanging up from talking to them, eyes gliding over the papers though he really wasn't seeing them, his mind wandering through the night's events. Cloud felt guilty for allowing the accident to happen, thought it was in no way his fault. One of those, 'I'm her big brother, I'm supposed to take care of her and make sure she never gets hurt' things. Zack was massaging his shoulder gently with one hand, the other hand reaching out to take the blonde's. "Cloud?"

"Hn?" the boy asked, not looking up, drowning in his thoughts.

Zack hesitated a moment, then asked, "Later, once all of this is done, do you want to stay the night at my place?" Cloud seemed to snap out of it for a moment, looking over at the dark-haired boy. Zack added at the confused look across the blonde's face, "I don't want you to be alone." Grinning slightly, nudging the other boy, he teased, "With all of this on your mind, you might decide to do something stupid, and we can't have any of that now can we?"

Smiling somewhat, Cloud let out a long sigh, nodding his consent. "That would be nice. Thank you." He leaned over and kissed Zack's cheek, hugging the boy lightly. Zack rubbed the other's back gently, sighing himself. This had been one hell of a night.

-x-x-x-

Tasogare sat next to Kairi, the girl sitting up half-way in her hospital bed, pillows fluffed around her. The older girl was sitting in a chair beside her, telling her about Naminé, and the fact that she was now in a coma. Kairi was traumatized as it was, but that information sent her once again into hysterics. "I didn't kill someone; I just put them into a coma! That's really comforting Taso!"

"Kairi calm down." Tasogare shushed, placing a hand on the girl's leg. "She's okay, she's stable. There's still a chance that she may come out of it…we're just not sure how long it might be."

The girl's eyes seemed to be permanently bloodshot from crying; her cheeks red and bruised, a long bandage across her forehead from where she had hit the steering wheel, several body parts wrapped in gauze and adhesive tape. "I should have been on my side of the road. I was just scared of going over the edge, I didn't mean to…to…"

"I know, Kairi; everyone knows. No one's blaming you." Taso soothed, eyebrows arched upward in concern. Her cousin looked like she was about to hyperventilate. "It was an accident."

"But I almost…"

"Almost doesn't count." Tasogare said, slapping Kairi's leg lightly. "Quit beating yourself up over this, you need to get better too." Violet eyes softening, she added, "Or have you forgotten you were also in that wreck, and could have been killed just as easily as Naminé?"

"Don't give me one of those 'be grateful to be alive' speeches, it doesn't help." Kairi moaned, turning her face away from Taso.

"I won't, just think about it." The other girl replied, standing up, heading for the door. "I'm going to go check on the others, make a few phone calls. I never called Kurei back. The concert should be ending by now."

"Will you come back?" Kairi asked, looking more helpless than she really was, a pout forming on her bruised lips.

"Yes." Taso replied, "But I'm going to go check on Naminé too. I'll be back after a while. Try to get some sleep."

-x-x-x-

Tasogare walked through the hospital, heading towards a side door nearby. Exiting the building, passing two nurses who were smoking and chatting in the cold autumn wind, the girl pulled out her phone and called Kurei. He answered a ring later, and she told him everything that had happened. He assured her he would call everyone else and let them know, and told her he would see her tomorrow at school. The friends hung up, Taso pocketing the device then tilting her head skyward, counting the stars, trying to clear her head. The chill in the air felt nice, she thought, it helped her sort through the mess of a night she had endured. Kairi…what was she going to do about Kairi. She was not looking forward to telling the girls parents about what had happened. Her aunt was a spazz as it was. She'd save that phone call for later; it was her cousin's job to tell her parents anyway. The doctors said she could be taken home in the morning; her ribs would be fine as long as she relaxed and let them heal. The stitches in her forehead would need to be taken out in a couple of weeks, the bandages replaced, but she would be out of here in a few hours. Naminé…she wouldn't be leaving for a while.

Taso didn't know what she was going to say to Cloud and Riku. If Naminé hadn't given her a ride home, she wouldn't have been on the road, at least not at the same time, as Kairi. If she had done something, invited her in, stalled her for a bit. Maybe then the two cars wouldn't have both gone over the hill at the same time, wouldn't have collided the way they did. Maybe they would have gotten into an accident anyway, yes, but not one that sent Naminé down into the ravine and hurt her the way she was now. If Taso had done something different, even slightly, even for only a moment…maybe Naminé wouldn't be in a coma. Taso knew it was silly to think such thoughts and there was nothing she could do to take it back now, but like Cloud's guilt over it Tasogare couldn't shake the feeling that it was somehow her fault. Regret. It was guilt, sadness, and regret. She had only just met the girl, gotten to know her a bit, found she wanted to be closer to her. And now…she was gone. A sudden thought occurred to her, sighing as she began walking around the outside of the hospital, walking towards the fountains in the front. What would Sora think? He had finally found his friends again, and now this had happened.

As she turned a corner she noticed a man and woman hurriedly chatting as they walked across the parking lot towards the front doors, holding hands and looking extremely worried. Both of them had striking blonde hair, the woman with long flowing locks such a pale blonde they were almost white. She looked like she might be albino. _Naminé's parents…_ She watched them pass by, not noticing her, entering the building and heading for the reception desk, the nurse leading them back down a hall and out of sight. Taso looked back up to the sky, wondering if Naminé was walking through the town there, looking at the lights in this world from the streets above, wandering in the unconscious realm.

-x-x-x-

"Riku!"

Axel looked up, a nurse and two grown ups approaching him and the boy at his side from down the hall. The woman, heels clicking across the linoleum, walked hurriedly over to them, looking for a moment at the red head, and then embracing the blonde beside him.

"Mom?" Riku asked from where he was pressed against her chest, the woman withdrawing and looking down at her son, pushing his hair away from his face.

"Yes dear. Your father and I are here now, don't worry. Where's your brother?"

Riku hesitated, replying, "Signing papers somewhere I think."

The nurse spoke up, "I'll take you to him ma'am. He's in Doctor Cid's office."

Riku's mother turned to look at the young woman, then at her husband. The man's expression was withdrawn, looking at his son affectionately, his hands fisted slightly at his sides. Riku did not see this, but Axel noticed the way he was holding back, the horror of the situation hitting him at seeing his son walking the intensive care unit halls. Somewhere nearby his daughter lay in a coma. Axel couldn't imagine the pain he must be going through.

The mother, seeing her husband wasn't going to say anything, turned back to Riku and said, "Your father and I are going to go talk to the doctors now, will you be alright here with…?"

"Axel." The red head replied, offering a hand. Riku's mother shook it lightly, smiling at the boy. "We go to school together."

"Axel, yes: thank you for looking after him." She replied, and then to Riku added, "Will you be okay? I'll send Cloud to come find you."

"I'm fine mom, I'm with Axel. It's okay." The boy replied, squeezing her arm. "Besides, Cloud hasn't seen Naminé yet, he'll probably want to go be with her for a little while."

Riku's father turned away and began walking, the nurse with him. Riku's mother gave her son a light peck on the forehead then tapped after her husband, holding her arms precariously beside her as if afraid of slipping on the slick surface. Axel watched them go, startled slightly when he felt a body pressed against his own; hands against his chest, lips against his neck, shaking softly. "Riku..." Axel whispered; wrapping his arms around the other boy, silent tears sliding down the younger's cheeks and dampening Axel's collar. "Shh, it's okay."

"I've caused them so much trouble already and now Naminé…if I hadn't wanted to go with you, we would have just gone home. She wouldn't have been out so late. I shouldn't have left without her."

"Riku this is not your fault."

"I know! But I could have…" Axel pulled away slightly, cupping the boy's face and tilting it so he was looking into the other's eyes. The blind boy looked somewhat surprised, searching the darkness, unsure of what the other's intentions were. "Ax…"

"This is no one's fault." Axel whispered. He searched those ghost blue eyes, the light in them brighter than before, the tears within them catching the light before coursing down the boy's pale cheeks. "It was an accident."

Riku's eyes softened slightly, Axel taking his hand away, the younger boy tilting his head down and away. "I know." He said, tone so low it was barely audible. "I just…I miss her already."

Axel remained silent for a while, and then said, "Let's go back to my house. You don't need to go home right now, and your parents will probably be here all night."

Riku looked up slightly, asking, "But Cloud…and Naminé…"

"They'll both be fine. You know if anything changes they'll let us know." The older boy reached up, brushing a tear from Riku's cheek. "You need to get out of here."

"You're right. I want to be with Naminé, but I don't want to be _here_. I feel sick…"

The smaller boy wobbled slightly, stress taking control for a moment, Axel catching his arm and bringing him against his side, supporting his weight. "Let's go outside."

Riku nodded, the two boys walking slowly towards the front doors, the automatic receivers opening the glass frames for them. The cold hit them in a hard gust of wind, Riku letting out a gasp, letting it wash over him and numb his senses. Axel watched him carefully, making sure he was okay, before looking over to see Tasogare standing nearby, looking up at the stars. "You need some fresh air too?" Axel asked, Riku looking over in the direction of his voice, smelling the peppermint in the air.

"Hey Taso, how's your cousin?" Riku asked, Axel smiling at the boy's uncanny ability of recognizing people before they spoke.

The girl looked over at the two boys, walking to them while replying, "She's okay; freaking out over the whole thing." Shifting on her feet, she replied, "I keep telling her it was an accident. After all…I'm as much to blame as she is."

"I think everyone's to blame if anyone's to blame." Riku whispered, Axel looking down at him. "There are so many things we could have done that may or may not have changed other things, but we can't go back and fix it. We can only go forward. Besides," Riku quirked a smile, "if Naminé knew we were all having such a fuss over her she'd throttle me. 'Lighten up, let me sleep!' Something like that."

Taso smiled slightly back at the boy, asking, "So what are you all going to do?"

Axel wrapped his arms around Riku's shoulders, replying, "I'm kidnapping him. No being an emo kid, not tonight. We're going to head back to my place and hang out, right Riku?"

Riku nodded, "He's going to make sure I don't go and cry myself to sleep or anything."

Rolling his eyes, Axel pulled Riku along, making his way across the lot and back to his car. Calling over his shoulder to Taso, Axel asked, "Will you tell Cloud he's with me?"

"Yeah," Taso replied, "I'm going to go back inside. See ya."

"Bye." Riku called, Axel waving after her. They walked the pavement the rest of the way in silence, Axel unlocking his hummer and helping Riku inside. Laughing lightly, Riku chided, "I'm okay Axel. I'm tired is all…"

"And thinking about everything, I know." Axel replied, shutting the door after him and walking around, getting in the driver's seat and starting the engine. "You need to relax though; Dashilaw's medical staff is one of the best in the country." The steady rumble of the engine and the rocking movement of tires traveling across the road took over Riku's senses, his eyes closing partially. "They'll take good care of her. She'll be back before you know it. And in the meantime, you've got me."

Closing his eyes, Riku smiled. "I know Axel. I'm glad we're friends."

The red head looked over at the boy beside him, eyes softening as he watched Riku's eyes close, the other drifting off into a light sleep. He drove as easily as he could along the empty streets, back through town, pulling into his driveway and turning off his car. _I'm tempted to watch him for a while, he looks so exhausted. I can't_ believe _Naminé's in a coma…_ Somehow or another he managed to wake Riku up just long enough to get him out of the car, through the house, and onto his bed before the boy passed out again, Axel looking down at him affectionately as he curled into one of the massive pillows aligning the older boy's bed. He pulled off Riku's shoes, tossed a blanked over him, then walked to the bathroom and pulled off his shirt, looking at himself in the mirror, then at the clock on the wall. It was just past one in the morning, though it felt like it was more around six. He was wiped out, unsure if he wanted to or should go to school in a few hours, or if he'd be capable of waking up and going. And Riku…he wouldn't leave Riku.

Axel turned on the faucet, took a handful of water and splashed it across his face, then turned it off again. He stood there for a while, hovering over the sink, letting the water drip from his face onto the marble, thinking about everything that had happened once again before pushing it back and letting his fatigue take over. He toweled off his face, returned to his bedroom, and crawled into bed beside Riku. The boy was facing him; lips parted slightly, breath teasing his bangs. He looked so comfortable, escaping harsh reality to the sanctuary of his dreams. Where was he walking? Who was he with? Maybe Naminé was there, telling him she was alright. Maybe when he awoke _this_ would be the dream… Axel closed his eyes, reaching over and putting an arm around Riku's waist, letting the silent ringing of sleep overcome his senses.

Maybe when the sun rose, when they were with friends and away from the madness, things might seem a bit more like reality. Until then, all they could do was dream.

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

Naminé looked around unsure of what was happening. There was light and heat and sudden pain. It was like falling backwards and having the breath knocked out of you, then everything spinning as you tried to make sense of it all. She was standing, naked yet clothed in an iridescent light, flowing around her like a veil. There was no one with her, yet she felt at home. She could hear voices around her, but not what they were saying. She knew her name, and knew the people talking were speaking to her, but she couldn't make sense of the words. She was in another place, caught between death and life, trapped in a shadow of awakening, unsure of how to return her voice to her body.

 _Riku? Cloud?_ She thought, the thoughts becoming an echo with rang through the plane in which she stood, stretching out before her like a never ending forest, sea, desert, mountain. It was light and dark, it was everything and nothing. It was whatever she wanted it to be. She wanted to go somewhere and she imagined a path before her. A path appeared, and she began walking down it. _This place, it's like my mind…_ Anything she thought of happened. Any place, thing, person, animal, imaginary invention; the moment she thought of it the thing came into existence on the plane she walked. Yet none of these things were what she was looking for, and it all disappeared, leaving her alone yet accompanied, comforted yet confused. Why was she here? What happened? Where were her brothers? Her home?

There had been something bad…something had happened to her, hadn't it? She tried to remember, pressing the boundaries of her mind, but couldn't grasp it. _I want to go back. I want to remember. I want to know how I can get out of here. I want to go home._

Stepping stones appeared, one by one, leading in different directions, each giving off a different feel of emotions. Naminé, hair and light flowing around her, lifted a long pale arm and felt for something familiar, something to pull her back. She felt a hand take hold of hers, someone talking to her, telling her he loved her. She wanted to tell him back, to squeeze his hand, to let him know she was okay, merely lost. She followed that feeling, the path breaking off and revealing a new one, a forest spreading out around her, massive gate towering before her, memories overwhelming her and casting her down to her knees. How could she do this? Where would she go? The gate was locked, she needed a key. _But the key is in the book_... And suddenly she was standing in front of the library.

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

Cloud and Zack eventually left the hospital, Tasogare deciding to stay with Kairi until she was released. Cloud's parents took over with paperwork and doctors, allowing the other boys to leave and get some sleep. Cloud followed Zack to his apartment, steering wheel of his mustang feeling foreign in his grasp. He was thinking about Naminé…but there was nothing he could do to change anything right now. He pulled in behind Zack, the apartment dark before them, turning off his car and just sitting in silence for a moment. Zack got out of his car, walking back to him, looking at him curiously. "Coming in?" he asked, tapping on the window lightly.

Cloud let a smile quirk his lips, getting out of his car and standing beside the other boy, looking up into his violet eyes. "I'm glad you invited me over. You're right; I don't want to be alone right now." Searching those amethyst irises, he added, "Thank you."

"It's nothing, I wanted you to come." Zack replied, tugging Cloud's arm lightly, leading him to the front door and letting them both inside. The lights in the kitchen were on, dimly lighting the living room and entrance to the bathroom and bedroom. Shrugging out of his boots Zack let out a sigh, running a hand through his dark hair, trekking across the carpet and entering the dark bedroom. "Make yourself at home. There's food in the fridge, the remote's on the couch, and there's clean towels in the bathroom."

"You make it sound like I'm moving in." Cloud said with a laugh, kicking off his shoes as well, following after the boy.

"Well maybe not yet," Zack said, pulling his shirt over his head and tossing it to the floor, looking over at the blonde watching him, "but I'm sure this won't be your last time coming over, so I thought I'd tell you you're welcome to everything from the start."

Eyes softening, the younger boy walked over to the bed, sitting down and looking around the room, eyes catching the alarm clock on the bedside table. It was around two thirty in the morning. Luckily he didn't have an early class he had to get up anytime soon to go to. Hopefully Zack didn't either. "It's late. Do you have anywhere to be tomorrow?"

"No, not until after noon," the boy replied, unhooking the chains crossing across his legs and sides, the long metal links chiming together melodically as they fell to the floor. "Why? Do you have a morning class?"

The blonde shook his head, laying back, trying not to stare as the dark haired boy unbuckled his belt, pulling it from around his waist slowly; almost daring Cloud to watch. Noticing the boy's gaze, Zack asked, letting the belt fall to the floor, "You going to sleep in that?"

Rising to a sitting position and looking over at Zack, Cloud asked in a teasing tone, "This isn't just an excuse to see me naked, is it?"

Grinning, Zack bridged the space between them, searching the other's eyes. "Why? You afraid to get in bed with me unless your pants are on?"

Blushing slightly, Cloud pouted, replying, "I'm not afraid to get in bed with you, naked or otherwise." He stood up, pulling off his shirt, looking over at Zack to gauge his reaction. The boy was watching him expectantly, teasing smile hiding in the corners of his mouth. The blonde searched his eyes as he reached down and unbuckled his belt, letting his pants slide low on the curve of his hips.

Zack stepped as close to the younger as he could, leaning in until his breath was dancing along Cloud's slightly parted lips, violet eyes half hidden behind long dark lashes. Cloud's heart jumped, waiting to see what Zack would do, searching the other's eyes as he reached up a hand to brush against the older's abdomen. Muscles tightening slightly at Cloud's touch, Zack leaned in and pressed his lips to the blonde's, hands moving to the boy's waist, pulling his body to press lightly against his own. The kiss was sweet and soft, Zack pulling away after a moment to watch Cloud's expression, wondering what the other was thinking. The blonde smiled up at him, turning his head, waiting to see if Zack would continue.

"You tired?" Zack asked, thumb rubbing the curve of Cloud's hip gently. Nodding, Cloud watched the dark headed boy pull away, letting his bondage pants slip off of his hips as he pulled back the covers then crawled into bed. "Come on then, let's go to sleep."

Cloud unzipped his pants the rest of the way, kicking them off and laying them by his shirt, boxers hugging his frame as he walked to the other side of the bed, getting under the covers and turning to face the boy beside him. "Thank you for today. The concert, the mall…then meeting me at the hospital…"

Zack raised a hand, fingers pressing to Cloud's lips and stopping the rest of his words. He leaned over, brushing his lips to the younger boy's, kissing him gently; saying as he pulled away, "Go to sleep. It's too late to be thinking about things like that." Cloud sighed, Zack's forehead pressed to his, searching one another's eyes, his fingertips brushing lightly across his cheek and neck. After a moment he pulled away, yawning, and closed his eyes. "Night."

"Goodnight." Cloud replied, eyes closing partially, watching the boy beside him through half-lidded eyes. A few minutes later he turned over to his other side, pulling the pillow close, twisted dreams taking him off into slumber.

Zack opened his eyes, watching the rise and fall of Cloud's steady breathing, thoughts keeping his mind reeling, unwilling to let him fall asleep. He wanted nothing more than to protect the boy before him, but he didn't know what he could do to help. His little sister was in a coma, his brother was blind, his parents were always away with work; what could Zack do? He moved closer, pressing against Cloud's back, arm wrapping around his side as he nuzzled into the blonde's neck. There was nothing he could do except promise to be there for him. He only hoped for Cloud that would be enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1)Hishimo is pronounced (he-she-moh)


	8. Heartache

Riku woke up to the feeling of warmth pressed to his side, someone's breath brushing his neck softly. An arm was across his waist, fingertips tickling the dip of his navel when he inhaled then exhaled again. Cinnamon assaulted him from all sides, comforting and familiar. "Axel," Riku whispered, voice thick with sleep, not really talking to the boy just voicing his acknowledgement that the other was indeed there. Axel didn't respond, just shifted slightly in his sleep, lips touching Riku's neck fleetingly. Shivering slightly at the contact, heat tingling within his cheeks, Riku let his mind wander. _I wonder what time it is…_

He didn't know how long he lay there, wrapped up in different, tiny sensations. The smoothness of the pillow against his cheek, Axel's unintentional touches, the way his heart couldn't stop pounding. They were barely touching, but to Riku it was more intimate because of that. Unsure of what he should do, pull away or snuggle closer, he waited until the boy beside him stirred into awareness.

The red head moaned slightly, fighting consciousness, gripping Riku closer to him as he mumbled for more sleep. Riku laughed softly, hand reaching to clasp the arm around him, stroking in a soothing manner. "You going back to sleep?"

"Mmm' thinking about it." Axel croaked, yawning and nuzzling Riku's neck. The younger boy blushed, wondering if he should protest, and then finding he didn't want to. He turned into Axel slightly, the red head watching in amusement, noticing the other's red cheeks in the dull morning light. "You sleep okay?"

"Yeah," Riku replied, "you?"

Axel made an affirming noise, reaching up and brushing Riku's bangs from his eyes, searching the foggy pools with a smile. Riku looked blindly in his direction, expression questioning and curious, trying to figure out what the older was up to. Axel just watched him for a while, then asked in a gentle tone, "Do you feel up to going to school today?"

Riku looked away, thinking for a moment. "I…I don't know. Without Naminé…I-"

"You're not alone." Axel interjected, "I told you last night." Eyes softening, Axel whispered, "I'm with you Riku, I'm not going to leave you. You don't have to worry about anything, Demyx and Zexion are in classes with you when I'm not, and as soon as I get out I'll be right there. That is, if you feel like you're up to going."

Riku didn't reply, just searched the darkness, letting Axel's words sink in. _He cares so much about me, he barely knows me…_ "Thank you." the boy whispered, reaching up, touching Axel's shoulder.

The red headed boy's breath caught in his throat at the gesture, the light catching the curve of Riku's cheek, the dip in his neck, turning his hair golden. Clothes tousled from sleep, eyes warm and affectionate; it was all Axel could do to keep from leaning in and capturing those pink, parted lips within his own. Riku's hand trailed from Axel's shoulder down his chest, stopping on the small silver hoop linked through his nipple. Gasping softly, the older boy watched Riku's pale fingertips dance lightly over that hoop, a smile playing across his lips at the deepening blush across the blind boy's cheeks.

"It doesn't hurt?" Riku asked, pausing his ministrations.

"No…" Axel replied, voice slightly husky, silently adding," _it turns me on..._ "

Hesitating, Riku traced the silver gently, taking it between his thumb and forefinger and tugging lightly. "You sure? I'm not hurting you am I?"

Laughing, fighting the aftershocks of the electric jolt of pleasure that had coursed down his spine, Axel assured, "It's fine; it's just like getting anything else pierced. I can feel it, but it's not necessarily unpleasant." Reaching up and tugging on the hoop in Riku's earlobe, Axel asked, "It doesn't hurt when I do this does it?" Grinning, Riku batted his hand away, replying that of course it didn't. Somewhere among the playful pushing and soft laughs Axel managed to pull Riku against him, both boys instantly noticing where Riku's shirt had ridden up on his stomach, bare skin touching bare skin. Blushes crossing their cheeks, Axel leaned into the blonde before him, so close he could taste his breath. "Riku?"

"Yes?" the boy asked, voice barely more than a whisper.

Axel held himself back, caught between wanting to kiss the boy in his arms and being not completely sure of how Riku would react if he did so. After all, Axel hadn't told the boy he was bi, and wasn't for sure if Riku was even interested in the same sex. But Riku had let Sora kiss him without saying anything about it bothering him. Well, at least not because it had been another guy, but because he hadn't liked the fact that Sora was dating someone else. Most guys would have been completely grossed out by it, immediately attesting to their non-homosexuality. Riku hadn't done that though. Maybe there was a chance…

Axel's phone rang before he could make up his mind. The 'Mario Theme Song' chimed from his pocket, startling Riku so he pulled away. Disappointed by the interruption, Axel retrieved the device and flipped it open, pressing it to his ear. "Hey Demyx, what's up?"

" _Hey Axel, you coming to school today?_ " Demyx asked; voice perky despite the early hour. He had obviously had a cup or two of coffee. Axel could hear Zexion talking in the background, asking about Riku. " _Yeah, are you and Riku coming?_ "

Axel glanced over at the boy beside him, Riku looking over in his direction, trying to listen to the conversation. "It's Demyx." Axel said, "He wants to know if we're coming to school or not."

Riku's eyes wavered, turning away from Axel slightly and sitting up, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know…do we have time to get ready?"

"Yeah, there's still time;" the red-head replied, "Do you feel like going?"

Riku nodded, turning back towards Axel. "I think I do."

Axel smiled, saying into the phone, "We'll be there. See you in a bit, okay?"

" _K', see you!_ " the blonde replied, Zexion calling goodbye from the background, then saying something that vaguely sounded like 'damn burned toast' before the call ended.

Tossing the phone to the pillow above him, Axel stretched out and thought about what sounded good for breakfast, and then looked over at Riku. "Do you want something to eat? I could make something while you get ready."

"I guess so…" Riku replied, and then asked, "Would you let me borrow some clothes?"

"Sure," Axel replied, trying not to think too hard about the boy wearing a pair of his tight leather pants, "let me show you where the shower is, and I'll get you some clothes, okay?"

Axel pointed out where the shampoo, soap, and faucet were; guiding the boy's hands across the various bottles and handles. He gave the boy a towel and left him to his own devices, going to his closet to pick out some clothes that might fit the younger boy. Riku was a bit smaller in the shoulders and hips, but with a belt and a tight t-shirt Axel was pretty sure the boy could still look amazingly hot. Hell, he'd look hot in anything.

The sound of the shower running echoed from the bathroom, Axel trying not to listen to Riku's light humming. His half-hearted attempts to not think about the naked boy in his shower weren't helping him pick out clothes for Riku any faster, and he returned to his task with a sigh. Shifting through the various things hanging in his closet Axel finally pulled out a pair of dark blue jeans with bleach patterns highlighting the legs and back in zigzags. Tossing them to the bed he ruffled through his things until he found a black studded belt, then a black and pink _Panic! At The Disco_ shirt he though would fit the boy well. Satisfied, Axel stood to his feet, grabbing the pants and walking over to his dresser. The boy needed a pair of clean boxers too, but finding some that would fit would be a different story.

Opening one of the middle drawers and ruffling through his undies, Axel lifted up a pink lacy thong with a smirk. _I don't think Riku would like my brother's choice of underwear…I can't believe I still have these._ Stuffing them back in the drawer, sorting through a few more risqué garments, Axel found a pair of smaller boxers tight enough that he thought Riku might be able to wear them. Bundling the clothes together he walked across the room to the bathroom door, listening to the steadily running water, Riku singing to himself as he washed.

-x-x-x-

Riku was fully enjoying the enormous shower slash tub he was dancing about in, scrubbing some magnificent cinnamon-esque shampoo into his long hair, chanting lyrics as he swayed back and forth. There was nothing like waking yourself up to a nice hot shower and a good song.

" _He calls her up; he's tripping on the phone now_

_He doesn't want her out there and alone now_

_He knows she's moving it, knows she's using it  
Now he's losing it, she don't care…_

Everybody, put up your hands, say:  
'I don't wanna be in love, I don't wanna be in love'  
Feel the beat now, if you've got nothing left, say:  
'I don't wanna be in love, I don't wanna be in love'  
Back it up now, you've got a reason to live, say:  
'I don't wanna be in love, I don't wanna be in love'  
Feeling good now, don't be afraid to get down, say:  
'I don't wanna be in love, I don't wanna be in lo-ve'…

" **(1)**

Grinning Riku ducked under the faucet, rinsing his hair, soapsuds and water cascading down his lithe form. Figuring it was about time for him to get out, he reached for the handle to turn off the water flow. A knock sounded at the door. "Riku? Can I come in?"

"Yeah." The boy replied, turning off the water, reaching around the curtain and grabbing a towel off of the table beside the tub. "It's open."

The door swung inward almost soundlessly, Axel stepping onto the tile while peeking his head around the door. Seeing a hand sneaking back behind the shower curtain, towel in tow, Axel stepped in the rest of the way to set the clothes down on the marble counter next to the sink. "You figure out what you want for breakfast? I can still go down and make something while you get dressed."

Riku was toweling at his hair, thinking to himself. "Don't go out of your way or anything, I mean, I'm used to cold pop tarts and occasionally cereal. Breakfast sounds nice though."

Axel, watching the shadow of Riku moving behind the shower curtain, replied, "Okay then. I'm going to go downstairs and fix something. I'll come back up in a minute to get you, okay?" When Riku replied with an affirmative Axel pulled away, leaving the boy to himself.

Listening to the older boy exit the room, shutting the door behind him, Riku leaned back against the shower wall, clutching the towel to his chest. Why wouldn't his heart stop pounding?

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

Cloud was up at dawn. Slipping out of bed without waking Zack, lifting the boy's arm from around his waist, he pushed himself off the mattress and looked around the room. Running a hand through his messy spikes he staggered across the carpet, rubbing his eyes and deciding to go investigate the living room and let Zack sleep. The sun was filtering through the blinds in streaks of yellow-orange light, pattering Cloud's bare chest and shoulders. Thinking about returning to bed so he could cuddle up to Zack, the boy went over to the window and pulled aside the edge of the blinds, looking out into the early daylight. He was surprised to see a silver-haired man approaching, a displeased look across his face as he talked into a cell phone, not noticing Cloud. The blonde withdrew and headed back into the bedroom, looking down at the sleeping boy strewn across the sheets. Eyes softening, Cloud was caught wondering whether he should wake the other up or not. A knock sounded at the door.

Cloud turned slightly, a frown forming across his lips. Who was this guy? Cloud knew immediately he didn't like him. What was he doing here so early in the morning anyway? The blonde walked across the carpet and opened the door when another set of knocking began, halting the noise mid-swing, coming face to face with the angry looking man responsible for said noise. He blinked in somewhat surprise before resuming a cool demeanor, piercing ice blue eyes peering down into Cloud's cobalt. "Where's Zack." The man asked, lips drawn into a thin line.

"Why do you want to know?" Cloud asked, glaring up at the taller, eyes darting over his long platinum hair and black trench coat before returning to his unemotional face.

The man reached out, pressing against the door, calling into the apartment, "Zack. I need to talk to you."

Anger flitting in his eyes, Cloud pushed him back out of the doorframe, asking in a warning tone, "Who the hell do you think you are?"

"It's alright Cloud." Zack said from behind him, emerging from the bedroom while rubbing his eyes. The blonde looked over at the other boy, his long dark hair falling down his shoulders in a manner tousled from sleep. His violet eyes were cloudy as he looked from the boy before him to the man standing in the door. "What do you want, Sephiroth."

 _Sephiroth?_ Cloud thought, looking the man over once more. _This is Zack's ex-fiancée?_

"You left last night before I got the chance to talk to you." Sephiroth stated. "I thought we had agreed to meet up after the concert; where were you?" Icy eyes turned on Cloud, looking the blonde up and down. "And who is this."

"First off, you were too busy having an encore to even think about me, let alone want to talk." Zack replied, leaning against the door frame. "Secondly, it's none of your business where I go or who I'm with."

Cloud stepped back a bit, watching, waiting to see what would happen. He was at the point of punching the fucker already for bothering Zack at this hour, let alone all the other things involved with the man, like cheating on the boy he was falling for. How could he have done something like that to Zack?

"Look," Sephiroth said with a sigh, "I wanted to tell you that we're over, me and him. I never should have done that to you, and I'm sorry." His eyes searched Zack's, whispering, "Please let me talk to you. I can't stay long."

Zack seemed completely shocked then let his face fall, not saying anything. He stood from the doorframe and stepped back into the living room, pulling Cloud along with him. The blonde followed him a few steps, watching the platinum man cross the threshold and close the door behind him, waiting for Zack. The dark haired boy sighed, Cloud looking over at him, meeting hazy violet eyes. "Will you go back to bed and wait for me?"

Cloud searched his expression, trying to sort out the anxiety and sadness from the anger and confusion. Reaching up a hand and touching Zack's abdomen gently, the blonde whispered, "You sure you want to be alone with him?"

Eyes softening, smile tugging the corners of his lips, Zack leaned in and pressed his forehead to Cloud's, replying in the same whisper, "I'll be fine. Be back in just a minute, okay?"

"Hn." Cloud answered, worry etched across his face as he pulled from Zack and went to the bedroom, shutting the door after a fleeting glance between the other two boys in the house. He wanted to stay, he wanted to listen, but he knew he shouldn't. If Zack wanted him to know what happened and what was said, he'd tell Cloud later. The boy crawled across the covers and buried his head in a pillow, trying not to listen to the conversation playing out on the other side of the wall.

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

"Hey baby, you okay?" Roxas whispered, rolling over to face Sora. The brunette was cradling his bandaged hand, looking at the blood stain from the cut, barely visible through the gauze. "You want me to change it?"

Shaking his head slightly, he said, "I just, I feel so stupid. I hadn't cut myself in such a long time."

"It had been a few months hadn't it?" the blonde asked, reaching over and stroking his boyfriend's face, watching him with a gentle patience. "It's not deep, it won't leave a scar."

Eyes falling slightly, Sora dropped his hand, looking over at Roxas, deep blue eyes swimming with hurt. "I'm sorry Rox."

"Baby it's okay." Roxas replied, "It wasn't on your wrist or thigh, it was your palm, easy to notice and take care of. You weren't trying to hide it from me like last time, which makes a huge difference." He searched those blue depths, willing the other boy to understand. "I told you I don't like it because I don't want you to hurt, but if it's something you have to do once in a while I understand. It's like me smoking." He smiled, leaning in and nuzzling Sora's cheek. "You know I have one or two when I get really stressed out, even though you've told me you don't like it. It's the same thing."

Sora half-smiled over at Roxas in an apologetic manner. "You forgive me then?"

"Of course I do silly. I wasn't mad to begin with. I could tell something was wrong." Arching his eyebrows in a concerned manner, Roxas asked gently, "Something happened between you and Riku didn't it?"

Blushing, Sora turned away. "It was nothing, just something stupid. Don't worry about it."

Roxas let out a small sighing sound, soft smile still across his face, wrapping his arms around the brunette and pulling him close. "I love you Sora."

"I love you too."

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

Riku dressed himself somewhat slowly, thinking about all the different emotions he felt when he was around Axel. A sudden vision of when he had been in the shower earlier came to mind; only this time it was Axel ripping open the shower curtain and pinning him against the wall, kissing him roughly. Blushing, Riku pulled the shirt Axel had brought him over his head. _Why am I thinking things like that? I barely even know him!_ His heart was pounding again, his mind running away with the thought of how Axel would feel against him, how he would taste, the sounds Riku would make in his arms. "God, stop it…" he whispered to himself. Axel had done so much for him, he was a great friend he felt he could trust and be with no matter what, and they had only met the day before. It was obvious Riku was crushing on him. _So juvenile, so grade school…_ Riku frowned, scolding himself, but he couldn't stop thinking about it.

Feeling his way out of the bathroom, Riku went to Axel's bed, sitting down on the mattress with a slight bounce. The other boy was downstairs somewhere, wherever the kitchen was, cooking him something or another. Sniffing the air Riku stood to his feet once more, fingertips brushing various objects as he moved across the room, gripping the door handle for a moment. He definitely smelt toast. Opening the door and walking out into the hallway, Riku walked down the corridor, across the carpets, careful to take it one step at a time on the stairwells, and backtracked his way to the front of the house. All he had to do was follow his nose from there. Toast…eggs? The sound of something being poured into a cup. Jam of some sort, maybe strawberry.

Riku followed these signs to the kitchen, passing a few hallways with tittering maids who paused to watch him pass before resuming their morning gossip. His feet touched tile as he entered the kitchen, noticing Axel was humming something as he cooked, feet shuffling lightly as he mock danced next to the stove. With a smile Riku teased, "I thought I told you not to go through any trouble?"

Axel turned around, blinking at the other boy's presence. "Riku! You found your way around okay?"

"Well I'm not a cripple." the other boy retorted, teasing still in his voice. "I'm blind. That's only half as bad."

Axel arched and eyebrow and let out a sigh. "What am I going to do with you? Come over here." He held out his hand towards the boy, waiting to see what the younger would do. Riku hesitated then took a few steps forward; reaching out his own hand, knowing Axel would be there to guide him. A few more steps and their fingers almost touched. Axel could still see the blisters from yesterday where Riku had touched the kiln in art, the scratch across the back of his hand from the string breaking on his guitar. "You poor thing." Axel playfully jeered. "I need to bandage you up again."

Riku scowled, "I had to take them off to wash my hair properly. It doesn't stay this color unless you wash it well."

Axel coughed away a laugh, trying not to think of Riku with green hair after missing a few scrubs.

Riku seemed to sense the older boy was picking at him, swatting the air and meeting Axel's hand, pulling the red-head towards him. "You're such a brat. It's me who's the hurt one after all."

"A brat am I? Well then, guess this breakfast is all for me then?" Axel asked; eyes softening as Riku's expression changed to a slightly embarrassed one, noticing the way he had pulled the taller to him. They were almost pressed against one another.

"You fixed me eggs?" Riku asked, voice lower than it had been before, hands fisting into Axel's shirt. "You had time to change and cook me breakfast?"

"I took a shower in one of the guest rooms, no biggie. I'm not much of a shower person. I like mine cold." Axel replied, then added, "And yes, eggs, along with toast, biscuits and gravy, sausage, and pancakes if you want me to make you some." He smiled at the surprised look across Riku's face. "The butter and jam's on the table. Hope you like OJ."

"Orange juice is great, thank you." Riku replied, Axel pulling him gently over to the table, placing Riku's hands on the back of a chair and telling him to sit down. " _I'll get it for you_ " he had said when Riku at first refused, blushing slightly at Axel's consideration. Why was he so nice to him all the time? He didn't know Riku, didn't have to treat him this way. Was it because of Naminé? Or was it something else, something deeper…

"You okay Riku?" Axel asked, setting the plate down before him, going back to retrieve one for himself. "What 'chu thinking about?"

Blinking, Riku asked, "How do you know I'm thinking about anything?"

"The look you have, you're so serious." Axel poked, coming back with a plateful and sitting down across from the younger boy. "Anything you want to talk about?"

"No, it's nothing." Riku replied, picking up a fork and stabbing at his plate until it came in contact with something. He raised the mass and shoved it in his mouth, pleasantly surprised to find it was scrambled egg. He dove back down for more. "So," Riku asked, after a moment of silence, "how much time do we have before we need to leave for school?"

"Fifteen minutes or so, but we could leave late. I know a shortcut."

"You mean you'll speed." Riku replied, laughing lightly at the mock gasp that came from Axel.

"Me? Speed? I would _never_ do such a thing."

-x-x-x-

Needless to say they made it to school on time. Demyx and Zexion were waiting for them in the first hallway, Riku following slightly behind Axel, their hands intertwined. "Look who's here! What's up guys?" The blonde asked as they drew near, one of the warning bells signaling throughout the hall that class was fixing to begin.

"Not much," Axel replied, "you guys see Taso around today?"

"I think she's at home with Kairi." Zexion replied, hair falling across one eye. "She was pretty freaked out by the whole thing."

"Well who wouldn't be." Yuffie asked as she walked up to them, immediately looking to the boy at Axel's side. "You doing okay Riku?"

Eyes downcast, grip on Axel's hand tightening slightly, Riku nodded. "I'll be better once Naminé wakes up."

Axel looked down at him, eyes hinting a bit of worry, before Yuffie nodded and walked off, calling goodbye. "I'll see you next class for Math, alright? I've got to go!"

Riku called a soft goodbye, Demyx and Zexion noticing the boy's silence, looking at one another uneasily. Axel spoke up after a moment, saying to Riku, "Let's go get our books, okay?" The boy didn't really answer, just followed after the red head, Zexion and Demyx walking off to class as the other boys went to their lockers.

Axel pulled Riku across the hallway, leading him to the lockers. The blind boy reached up and opened his, pulling out the books he needed after running his fingertips along the brail on their spines, closing the metal door with a slow, creaking motion. "Axel?" Riku asked, pressing his forehead against the cool metal of his locker, eyes half open and searching the darkness in despair.

The older boy's eyebrows arched in concern. "What is it Riku?"

"I…I don't know if I can do this…"

Axel reached up and pressed his hand to Riku's shoulder, feeling how the younger was shaking slightly. "Riku…"

"Hey guys!"

Axel looked back to see Kurei, Roxas, and Sora walking over. Kurei was waving and smiling, the younger couple behind him. "What's up Kurei?"

"Not much, heading to class. You two better hurry, you'll be late."

"Yeah, thanks." Axel replied, turning back to Riku, rubbing his back gently.

Kurei waved bye and walked off down the hall, Roxas and Sora sticking back, Roxas asking after a moment, "Is he okay?"

Sora walked over to Axel with slight hesitation, calling softly with worry in his voice, "Riku?"

"I'm fine Sora," Riku replied, a crack in his voice, "it's okay."

Sora's blue eyes darkened. "Riku please tell me. What's wrong? If it's about last night I…"

Riku turned around, tears marking his cheeks, sad smile across his face. "No Sora, it's not about that. It's just Naminé. Hearing everyone talking about her… I'm just worried."

Sora looked at Riku in confusion. "Naminé? What's wrong with Naminé?"

Axel blinked. "You haven't heard?"

"About what?" Roxas asked, stepping up to Sora's side.

Riku shook his head, "You must not have heard yet…about what happened." He reached out a hand, touching Sora's chest, the brunette taking it and searching Riku's dead eyes.

"Heard about what? What happened to Naminé?"

Riku opened his mouth to answer, but found he couldn't. His shoulders started shaking again, face a mix of pain and loss. Axel answered for him. "Naminé was in a car accident last night, with Taso's cousin, Kairi. I'm surprised Kurei didn't say anything to you, he's the one who talked to Tasogare when we were first trying to find Naminé."

"He told us Taso probably wouldn't be here because she was home taking care of Kairi, but I thought he meant she had a cold or something." Roxas replied, "He didn't say anything about a car wreck."

"Is Naminé okay?" Sora asked, stroking the back of Riku's hand.

Riku's eyes closed slightly, and he whispered, "She's in a coma."

Sora's eyes widened, reading the expressions written across Riku's face. "Oh my god, Ri-kun. I can't believe…" He reached up and touched Riku's cheek, the blind boy leaning into his touch and closing his eyes fully. Sora reached out and wrapped his arms around the older boy, Riku returning the gesture, cheek pressed to the brunette's forehead.

Roxas' eyes narrowed a bit, noticing the way Sora was holding Riku, pressing himself against the other boy, face buried in Riku's neck. Axel looked from Roxas to Sora and Riku, eyes reflecting his worry. The four stood in silence, Sora and Riku still locked in a gentle embrace, interrupted only when the bell rang once again, signaling the beginning of classes. Riku opened his eyes, scanning the darkness around him, saying to the boy in his arms, "You need to go; you're going to be really late." He let a soft smile cross his lips, Sora pulling away from him after a moment. "I'm okay, I just…"

"If you need something come find me." Sora replied, looking from Riku to Axel. "If he needs me." he added softy, searching Axel's eyes.

"Thanks Sora." Riku replied softly, smiling slightly. "I'll be fine."

The brunette didn't seem convinced but didn't say anything further, eyebrows arched with concern as he returned to Roxas' side. The blonde looked the boy over, then met Axel's eyes and gave a slight nod before walking off, Sora at his side. Axel nodded back, watching the two boys leave for a moment before turning to look at Riku, the blind boy wiping his cheeks. "You want to go home?" Axel asked softly, reaching out and touching Riku's shoulder.

Riku hesitated, replying, "It's only my second day here…what would my teachers think?"

Axel sighed, letting a smile cross his lips. "Riku, they'll understand. Do you want me to take you home?"

The blind boy shifted uneasily, reaching up to take Axel's hand from his shoulder, saying softly, "I don't want to go home, there's no one there. I might as well stay so I can be with..." He blushed slightly, squeezing Axel's hand unconsciously, "…with my friends, right?"

The red head felt his heart skip slightly. _It sounded like he was going to say 'so I can be with you'…_ "Riku, I'm not going to leave you, we can go to your house and hang out okay?"

"I can't ask you to do that," the younger replied, worry furrowing his brow, "you need to go to school too. I'll get you into trouble if you sk-"

"Come on, let's go." Axel said, turning and walking back to the front doors, a startled Riku trailing behind him, books in tow.

"Axel! Wait!" Riku stammered, gripping the hand that held his, the red head steadying him as they made their way outside and down the stairs in the front of the school. "You're going to get in trouble…" The blind boy persisted as they made their way across the parking lot, Axel stopping at his car and turning around to face Riku.

He searched those questioning murky pools, the sunlight shining through the clouds catching the faded blue-green still hidden behind the gray-white, bringing a brief splash of color to the pale boy. _His eyes must have been gorgeous…_ Sighing at Riku's expression, Axel chided, "You've been through a lot and you don't need to be stressed out any more than you already are. Everyone knows me, they'll come up with something to cover my ass, so don't worry about it. We're going to your house, okay?"

Eyes softening, smile finding its way slowly across Riku's lips, the blind boy nodded, getting into the car and listening as Axel did so himself. It was a short drive to Riku's house, and then they were out of the hummer once again and walking up to the front door of the younger's house. Pulling his keys from his pocket Riku let them inside, Axel walking in after him and shutting the door behind them. The house was empty and dark, nothing but the sound of a clock ticking from the den breaking the haunting silence drifting through the hallways. The red head followed the pale blonde to his room, Riku's fingertips brushing along the walls and furniture they passed on the way, his pace slow and unsure of himself. Riku had to keep himself from thinking about the previous night as he passed Naminé's room, hand skipping over her doorframe as if afraid of the cold chill he might find there, Axel watching silently. Letting out an unknowingly held breath, Riku entered his room a few more steps down the hall, moving precisely over to his bed and sitting down on it, blindly looking around the room as he thought to himself. Axel walked over and stood near the edge of the bed, searching the expressions on the face of the boy before him.

Shuffling lightly from one foot to the other, Axel asked, "You okay?"

Riku nodded, saying after a moment, "I just don't know when the next time anyone besides me is going to be home."

Axel's eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"…well Cloud's moved out and doesn't stay here anymore, Mom and Dad are always working out of town, and Naminé's…"

Letting out a small 'oh', the older boy looked around the room, noticing the various books littered here and there written in brail, the brail across the dresser, the table, the nightstand. "You're planning on staying here all by yourself?"

Riku shrugged. "I know my way around well enough. It's not like there's much of anything else I can do."

A Cheshire cat grin crossed Axel's face, canines flashing, a brilliant idea popping into his head. "Riku…I have an idea. I don't know if you would want to or anything, but-"

-x-x-x-

And that was how Riku came to be living with Axel. Hell, it wasn't like the boy didn't have enough room, and with the blind boy staying with the older he would have a way to and from school, someone there for him like Naminé would be usually, and he most definitely wouldn't have to worry about being alone. The talked about it for a while, Riku at first refusing, worried that it would be imposing too much on Axel; they hadn't known one another but for a little over a day. Axel laughed it off, saying he felt close enough to Riku to pass them off as being childhood friends. Riku of course blushed furiously and looked away, asking what Axel's family would think about the situation. It seemed they were in most ways like Riku's parents, and when they were home they rarely talked to their sons; not to mention the tension held between them. It was a wonder, Axel had said, they hadn't already gotten a divorce. After they were comfortable with it themselves they called Riku's mother and asked her what she thought of it.

Riku's mother was the caring, worried type. She seemed to understand where Axel was coming from and agreed after a few minutes, requesting only that Riku called her and told her if things where alright, she knew Axel's house and cell phone numbers, and the address incase she needed to come over for any reason. Riku's father, she assured, would agree with her. They hung up the phone shortly afterwards; she was going to be late for a meeting.

Clicking the 'off' button on his cell phone, Riku sighed and turned towards where he knew Axel was, sitting next to him on the bed. "Thank you, you didn't have to go out of your way to do this."

"Riku, if you thank me one more time, I'm going to hurt you." Axel said in mock anger, pinching the boy's side playfully, causing the younger to laugh softly and bat his hand away.

"I mean it Axel, thank you." Riku replied, catching the hand pulling away from his side, squeezing the red head's fingers lightly.

Eyes softening, the older smiled and answered with a soft, "It's nothing, don't worry about it. I'm glad you want to stay with me."

Cheeks once again hinting rouge, Riku stood from the bed, going to his closet and pulling various clothes off their hangers. Shirts and pants first, then he dropped to his knees and began sorting through the bottom of his closet. Axel turned on the bed to watch him, noticing how easily the younger navigated through the tangles of clothing, fingers nimble and light. The pale haired boy pulled a large bag from the back of some boxes, opening it and neatly placing the clothes he had thrown to the floor beside him inside. He grabbed a couple pairs of shoes, adding a few other random things he pulled from another box on the other side of the closet, and a set of paints it looked like. He stood up, pulling the bag with him, and sat it down on the bed before going to his dresser and pulling out more clothes. "You might have to help me sort through them later; I'm not going to remember what's what after a while. I vaguely remember what order they're in, but I might-"

"No problem. You want me to help you pack?" Axel asked, scooting to the edge of the bed, standing up after a moment when Riku stopped what he was doing to look in the red head's direction. "Is there anything I can do?"

Grinning, Riku replied, "Stand there and look cute, it'll only take me a sec."

Axel fake pouted, crossing his arms leisurely over his chest and cocking a hip, watching the blonde trying vaguely to hide his smile. He threw some jewelry into a flip-top box and then the box in his bag, walking over to his bathroom and disappearing inside. "Make sure you get the sink while you're in there!" Axel called, shaking his head affectionately. "I have shampoo and soap you know."

Riku emerged a few moments later, carrying a brush, some deodorant, and a few other random bathroom items. "Hey, deal with it, I feel awkward enough mooching off of you as much as I am, let me take _some_ of my own stuff so I don't have to use as much of yours." Emerald eyes softened, watching the boy return to him and put the things in his bag, zipping it closed with a sigh. "I think that's it."

"We can always come back if you forget anything, you know?"

Riku nodded, looking away slightly, soaking in the feelings his room held, the brief memories. It was only yesterday he walked through this very room getting ready for his first day at his new school, Naminé waiting for him in the next room to greet him with a warm 'good morning'. Expression falling, Riku's heart began to dully ache, the thoughts of his sister becoming a sadness he wasn't sure if he could bear. …At least, not if he was alone.

Axel's hand descended gently onto the blind boy's shoulder, dead eyes looking over at the older, searching the darkness in futile attempts to see. "You ready to go?"

Thinking to himself a moment, clearing those ominous thoughts from his mind, Riku replied with a nod. "I'm ready."

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

Cloud was sitting silently on Zack's bed, knees pulled up to his chest, arms cast around them. The dark headed boy had been out there talking to his ex lover for a while now, and the blonde in the other room was starting to get fidgety. _I don't want to bother them, and I don't want to seem like I'm being nosey, but I want to know what's going on…I don't know what to do._ Fighting different urges involving going to Zack's rescue, punching Sephiroth for being a dick, and pulling out his hair; Cloud waited patiently until he heard slightly raised voices, footsteps, and the front door opening then closing a bit harder than it should have.

A few minutes later Zack opened the door to his bedroom, letting himself into the comforting darkness with a soft sigh, going over to the bed and laying down beside the younger boy. Cloud watched him, uncurling from his position and turning towards Zack, searching dark amethyst eyes and he lay down as well. "You okay?"

Zack snorted lightly, saying in an irritated tone, "I'd be better if I wasn't still hung up on that guy."

Cloud didn't add anything to that comment, just searched Zack's eyes, wanting to understand. "Did he do anything to you? A second ago I mean."

Zack looked off a bit, replying, "He asked me if I'd give him another chance."

Cloud's eyes widened, heart beginning to beat irregularly. "Really? …what did you say?"

The dark haired man looked back to the blonde, searching his worried cerulean irises. "I told him that he had broken my heart and I didn't think I could forgive him right now." Zack looked away momentarily. "He told me he was sorry, that he hadn't meant for things to happen like they did, that he missed me and wanted to give us another chance." He looked back to Cloud. "When I told him I wouldn't give him that opportunity for a long time to come, he wanted to know about you."

"Oh…" the younger replied, looking away slightly, unsure of himself. Zack smiled gently, reaching up to touch Cloud's cheek, searching the blonde's eyes when he looked up at him. The boy lowered his eyes after a moment, reaching up and tracing Zack's collar bone lightly, wondering what had been said.

Letting out a small chuckle, Zack leaned in and pressed his forehead to Cloud's. "If you want to know what I said to him, why don't you ask me? It's not like I have anything to hide from you."

Azure met violet, Cloud blushing lightly. "I don't want to ask something I shouldn't. I mean, it's not like we're lovers…"

"Aren't we?" Zack asked in little more than a whisper, leaning in a bit further, lips brushing lightly, eyes searching.

Cloud's pulse skipped, eyes softening, breathing ceasing as their lips met in a soft kiss. An almost inaudible moan escaped the blonde's throat as they parted then met again, eyes slipping closed as he gave into Zack's prowess, fingers dancing across Cloud's chest and side as the kiss deepened.

They pulled away from one another a few minutes later, the younger snuggling into the dark headed boy's chest with a long sigh. _I want to be with him so badly…but Sephiroth…_ "Would you ever give him another chance?" Cloud asked before he had fully realized he had done so, catching himself and quickly adding, "I-I mean, I didn't mean to-"

"Cloud, it's okay. It's fine to ask something if you want to know." Zack reassured him, running a hand through the other's messy, blonde spikes. "I don't know if I would ever be able to forget what he did to me…if I kissed him again would I see him kissing the man he cheated on me with? If he touched me would I imagine him touching that other guy?" He shook his head, looking down at Cloud, who was looking up at him with an apologetic and concerned expression. "I don't know, honest. I can't think straight when I'm around him. My heart tells me I love him, and I want to be with him, but another part of me tells me what he did, how he betrayed me, how hurt I was and still am." Nuzzling the boy's cheek, the older added, "I'm happy being with you, and I want to see where we could go. I know we haven't known one another for very long but I…" He hesitated, finishing with a soft, "I would love to see what we could become if we were together. But only if you wanted to."

Aqua eyes sparkled with an inner light, laughter and happiness dancing across his face. "So, do you mean…?"

With a grin, Zack replied, "I told Sephiroth I was with you, that I was happy with you, and I am." Searching Cloud's eyes, he asked, "Would you be my lover?"

In a teasing tone, the younger asked, "Don't you mean 'boyfriend'?"

"Now, now," Zack chided, looking very displeased, "Saying it that way just makes it sound gay."

Giggling lightly, the blonde asked, "Well, isn't it though?"

"Yes, but 'boyfriend' sounds so, I dunno, juvenile…"

Leaning in and kissing Zack softly, smile across both their lips as he pulled away, the younger answered, "Yes, Zack; I would love to be your lover."

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

Roxas looked over at Sora from where he sat at the desk next to him, the brunette with his face in his hand, looking off out the window. First period was almost over and the two boys had barely spoken more than a couple of words since they had come into class late, Sora off in his own world. Roxas wasn't too worried about it, except he couldn't help but keep thinking about the way his boyfriend had been holding Riku, the affection in his movements, the concern in his tone. Was it possible that after all these years Sora was still in love with Riku? The younger boy had never told Roxas, but from what the blonde could tell he had been deeply in love with the boy when they were younger and had never told Riku his feelings. Then when he had wanted to talk to Riku, and afterwards run off and cut himself last night…

Shaking thoughts he didn't want to think about from his head, he reached over and took Sora's hand, the brunette waking it seemed from his dreaming, looking over at the taller boy and smiling while squeezing his boyfriend's hand. Whispering inaudibly, the blonde said to the brunette, "I love you."

Sora smiled at him, pointing discretely to his eye, heart, Roxas, and then holding up two fingers. He turned and began listening to the teacher drawl on about fractions and ratios, seeming to be out of the waves of whatever thoughts were haunting him. Trying not to think too much about what could have driven Sora to cut himself after such a long time, Roxas tried to pay attention to the lesson. Brief thoughts of talking to Riku about it flitted through his head and were quickly dismissed. Riku had enough going on in his life without Roxas going and asking him about Sora. His sister was in a coma for Christ's sake. Besides, it seemed Axel had eyes for Riku by the way the older boy had been acting towards the new kid. Everyone else seemed to like him too, and didn't think anything about the way Sora was acting towards Riku. Maybe it was just that they hadn't seen one another in so long. Maybe Sora had just been too stressed out to handle everything that was happening all at once. Or maybe it was Roxas; maybe he was slightly jealous of the happiness Riku's very presence instilled upon the boy he had worked for months to get this close to. Then again, maybe Sora really _did_ love Riku; maybe there really was something there, hidden underneath the surface.

Then again, maybe it was nothing at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1) Lyrics Riku's singing in the shower are from Dance Floor Anthem by Good Charlotte


	9. Imagery

It didn't take Axel and Riku long to get back to Axel's house and find a suitable dresser in the boy's room to put all of Riku's stuff in. After sorting through clothes, jewelry, school books, and other random necessities, the boys left their finished work and went downstairs to the living room. If the blind boy had been able to see the massive television towering across half of one wall, he would have pissed himself. Demyx almost had, Axel informed Riku, the first time he had seen the monstrous contraption. It was still early morning and there wasn't anything good on T.V., but it wasn't as if they had really come downstairs to watch it. It was one of those things where the sound of something in the background, like music or distant talking, was of some sort of comfort when sitting alone in a large, unfamiliar place. Axel knew this, and wanted to make Riku feel as comfortable as possible. By them hanging out in various rooms of this mansion the blind boy would be able to adapt to them more quickly. This would be one of the few places besides the kitchen and Axel's part of the house that they would venture to while Riku was staying with him, however long that might be, and Axel wanted to make sure the younger boy was okay with it. He knew the blonde liked his independence; he was a strong hearted, strong willed individual. Axel was open to helping him achieve his independence in this new environment without delay. Besides, with any help it would take Riku's mind off of Naminé. Axel hated to see the boy hurting.

"Is there anything you were wanting to do?" Axel asked, looking over at the pale boy from the T.V.; Riku sitting there silently, listening to the sounds of the room.

Riku looked over in Axel's direction, following his voice. "Those old clothes I brought, I thought it might be interesting to do some more deconstructing with them. That was cool, making those jeans last night." He turned away again, listening to the clock, the television, birds outside the window. He wasn't sure if he liked this or not, being someplace he was so unfamiliar with, not knowing where to step or what was around him. But Axel was with him; it would be okay.

"We'll do that then." The older boy assured, watching as the younger absently played with the crown on the chain around his neck. "You sure you're okay with all of this?"

Riku nodded, smiling over at the other boy. "I'm fine; it just takes me a while to adjust. Don't worry about it, I'm sure I'll get over it soon enough."

Sighing with a smile, Axel stood up, reaching for Riku and pulling him from the couch. The blind boy blinked in confusion as he was brought to his feet, hands grasping the red-head's arm for support as Axel led him to the middle of the room and stopped. "There's something I want to show you." He said, laughter in his tone. "But I need to know; you're not afraid of snakes are you?"

Riku's grip on Axel's arm tightened. "You've got a snake? What kind?"

"A boa," Axel replied, grin teasing his lips. "Why, are you scared of them?"

"No," Riku said hesitantly, "but I'd be a bit afraid to touch one. I won't know if it's about to bite me or not…"

"Oh the damn snake's not going to bite you," the older scoffed, "he's a kitten. A hairless, green, fork tongued, overgrown kitten." Riku sighed and shook his head, rolling his eyes with a 'yeah right'. Not that he could see, and therefore create the full effect of rolling one's eyes, but it made Axel laugh nonetheless. "Honest, Xemnas' a big pussy."

"Xemnas?" Riku asked, "You named your snake a person's name?"

"Well what was I supposed to name him? Fluffy?" Axel asked while play-pinching Riku's side. "I'm going to get him out; do you want to hold him?"

Riku looked unsure, but responded with, "Maybe after you. I wouldn't mind touching it if I know what to expect."

Green eyes played over Riku's expression, lips curving into a gentle, unseen smile. _He trusts me so much_ … The older boy reached out and took the lid off of the massive glass box before him; the tank sitting on a large table in the middle of the floor. The snake inside said tank was curled up under a heating lamp, trying to sleep no doubt. Axel reached in and stroked it lightly, sliding his hand underneath one of the larger coils and lifting the animal from its nest with slow consideration. Xemnas was normally docile, but he didn't want try his luck either. The other hand went into the tank, gently lifting another coil, until the massive serpent was fully out of the large aquarium and winding its tail around Axel's arm, forked tongue darting over the skin of his fingertips. Scales tightened and loosened, the snake weaving up the length of Axel's arm lazily, making the hairs on his arms stand on end. It was always such a strange, intimate feeling. He wondered, with Riku's enhanced senses, what this would feel like to him. The pale green on emerald splotches seemed to grow and move, the snake fattening itself as it reached the red-head's neck, coiling around it lightly, tongue flicking across the pulse in his throat. Axel pulled one of the tighter coils loose and let it wrap around his hand; he wasn't in immediate danger, but Xemnas was almost six feet long, he could do some damage if he wanted to. Other than a few bites around feeding time, the snake had never made a move to hurt his owner; Axel trusted the reptile to behave itself around Riku.

"Here, reach out if you want to, I've got him now."

The blind boy let out a breath, not necessarily afraid, just unsure of what to expect. Soft white locks fell from behind his ears to cover his eyes and cheeks when he leaned forward, fingertips touching partially Axel's chest and partially Xemnas' tail. "He's bigger than I thought he would be…" Riku whispered, hand moving to wrap lightly around the snake's girth, unable to touch his fingertips to his thumb. "How long have you had him?"

"Since my thirteenth birthday," the older replied, stroking the coil in his hand lightly, "Demyx and Reno got him for me; I had always wanted a snake."

"He's much smoother than I had imagined. Something about 'snake' said 'slimy/gross' was involved." Riku let a smile tug at his lips, fingers trailing down the snake's length, brushing Axel's chest on the way.

Said boy trembled slightly at Riku's touch, watching the younger boy in a way he probably shouldn't have. He couldn't help but imagine the other panting underneath him, licking his nipples erect, enticing moans from those pale pink lips… God how he wanted to touch him. A pang of heat raced straight to his jeans, which were growing tighter than they needed to be. _Stop it Axel, you're way ahead of yourself…_ When Riku's hand stroked back up again, he brushed Axel's nipple, pulling the ring slightly with his fingertip. Axel had to bite his lip to keep from gasping.

Riku, completely oblivious, was smiling gently and petting Xemnas. The snake seemed to notice how the boy who was holding him had reacted to Riku's touch, seeking out the heat near Axel's pulse line, coils going a bit tighter than before. Being unable to breathe seemed to snap the older boy out of his daydreams.

Coughing lightly he pulled the snake loose, unwrapping him from his neck, asking in a slightly husky voice, "Do you want to hold him?"

"Sure," Riku replied, "he won't bite me?"

"Not unless you're trying to feed him. Fat-ass should be fine for now." Axel replied, trying to shake off his suddenly heated thoughts, "Hold out your arm."

Riku, with complete trust, complied. Axel's emerald eyes softened, handing the boa to the boy before him, eyes coursing down the lean muscle in his arm and torso, twisting as it moved beneath his borrowed shirt. Thinking about Riku, getting dressed in his clothes after a night of more than just slight touching, instantly planted itself in the red head's inner eye. _Damn it..._

"H-hey Riku, will you be okay for a sec? I'm going to go get a coke. You want one?"

The pale boy blinked, Axel handing the snake to him fully, nodding lightly as he stroked the snake wrapping itself up an arm. "Yeah sure. Just don't leave me for too long." He laughed, lightly, but with a hint of nervousness.

"I'll be right back." The older assured, walking off to the kitchen, instantly letting out a held breath when he was sure Riku couldn't hear him. _Damn it damn it damn it!_ He hit his fist lightly against his forehead, opening said fist and rubbing his eyes lightly, then moving to run his fingers through his long red spikes. _Why can't I control this?_ With a sigh he dropped his hand, noticing the obvious bulge beneath his waistline, and glaring at it defiantly. _I can't want him unless he wants me back, and I don't even know if he likes boys, let alone would ever like me._ He looked up, sighing yet again, and walked over to the fridge, pulling out two coke cans. _I definitely have to get this out of my system before tonight, there's no way I'll be able to sleep with him again if I don't. Not without…repercussions._ He shook his head and walked back to the boy heating his thoughts, ears greeted by laughter. Axel blinked at the sight before him.

Riku was laughing to almost the point of tears, Xemnas halfway hidden in the boy's shirt, going in through one of his sleeves. "Ax-ah ahahaha…Axel!" Riku cried, hearing the boy's footsteps approaching. "Axel he's in my ahahaha…! He's in my shirt! He's going for my pants! Axaaaaahahaahahaaha…"

Grinning in a wolfish way, Axel thought that he himself would very much like to get into Riku's pants, shaking his head as he sat the drinks down and moved to help the boy. "Here, relax. I'll get him."

Riku could barely breathe, tears gathering in the corners of his eyes. The scales moving lightly across his torso, wrapping around his waist, sent little shivers through him all the way down to his toes. Warm hands went to the hem of his shirt, pulling up lightly, Axel's voice echoing through him with soft words to hold still. The blind boy complied, lifting his arms slightly, the shirt rising up and over his head, Xemnas beginning to try and edge himself past Riku's belt. The younger began to move to grab the snake before he went any further, but Axel was already there, pulling Xemnas away slowly, letting the snake wrap around his arm as he moved to uncoil the boa from Riku's waist and arm.

"Sorry about that," Axel whispered, soft, almost considerate, "they do that sometimes, snakes do; they seek out body heat."

Riku couldn't help but notice the other's tone, eyebrows arching in partial concern. The red head moved, putting Xemnas back in his tank and shutting the lid tightly, then turned to face Riku when the younger reached out and touched his arm. "You okay?" The pale boy asked, fingertips light against Axel's skin.

"I'm fine." The red head replied, emerald eyes ghosting over Riku's expression, seeing the concern there. "Just thinking." There was a silence between then, Axel battling different emotions stirring within him. He didn't know what to do about what he was feeling, and he was too unsure of what would happen to tell anything about this to Riku. They barely knew one another, and yet… "Do you want to go back to my room? Start deconstructing something or another?"

"Y-yeah, okay." Riku replied, still not quite sure what to make of the tone Axel was using. Was he mad at him or something? Axel gave him his shirt, the red head taking hold of the cokes in one hand and Riku's hand in the other, leading him through the living room and kitchen, back upstairs. Riku followed him in silence, trying to sense what the other was feeling, but shrugged it off as they reached the next floor. If something was wrong Axel would tell him, right? After all, Axel had invited him to _live_ with him, so that meant they had to talk to one another, and trust one another. Riku already felt like he could trust the other boy with anything. Not to mention a certain attraction he was drawing from the other. The slight touches, the soft tones, the way Axel had been holding him when he woke up. Riku blushed lightly. He couldn't deny that he liked the red-headed boy as more than a friend. It scared him a little; being so attracted to someone he had just met not but two days before. He wondered if Axel was being friendly towards him and taking him under his wing in the light of him being new to Dashilaw or maybe on account of Naminé…or if it was something else. Yesterday he had taken to Axel so quickly at school, which was so unlike Riku. He was withdrawn, standoffish, and he never let anyone see his scar. With Axel everything was different, backwards, reversed. Riku found himself _wanting_ to be with the other boy instead of sitting in the dark alone. Naminé and Sora were the only two people he had ever let get this close to him; and they had a growing relationship with him for a long time, long before he had lost his sight. But Axel…

Riku smiled shyly to himself, Axel leading him down the hall and into his bedroom. Not to mention his certain crush on the other that seemed to be growing. He had never been attracted to anyone male or female, but thinking about Axel in the shower earlier, the way his heart had been pounding. It made him wonder if maybe…

"So, what did you want to do? You brought some things too didn't you?" Axel suddenly asked, snapping Riku out of his thoughts. The blind boy tilted his head up, dead eyes unconsciously catching the red-heads for a moment before drifting off.

The blonde boy nodded, "I brought some jeans and shirts I wouldn't mind destroying, but if they turn out as good as last time I will definitely wear."

"Good, good. You remember where we put things earlier?" Seeing Riku's physical yes, Axel walked over to the closet, digging around in the bottom and pulling out a large cardboard box filled to the brim with bleach bottles, paint, and random other items including sequins and a button box. Riku busied himself with sliding back on his shirt, walking over to the dresser where he knew he had put the clothes he was looking for, and pulling them out then laying them on the floor, following after them. He sat cross-legged as Axel placed the box down between them, taking his spot on the floor opposite of the blind boy. "Alright, let's have at it!"

-x-x-x-

Scissors, razors, buttons, glue, sequins, paint, patches, stitching, and a bit on introversion had always possessed a way of turning anything into something of a one of a kind beauty. There was something about the way Riku could see with his hands that made Axel just sit back and watch the boy work from time to time, timidly brushing fingertips across lace and ribbon, fingertips bright with neon paint and glitter. Long white-blonde hair hung past his ghost blue eyes, the green in them showing every now and then when the light behind the curtains managed to peek through and capture the color there. Riku was so enchanting, more than any girl or boy Axel had ever seen. Something in the way he moved brought back memories of them dancing the night before, the shy touches, the body heat shared between them. Then thoughts wandered to when they had been behind the stage; Axel had been so ready to kiss him. But…why was he so afraid? Afraid to ruin something worthwhile, something life changing, before it even had a chance to begin; something that could possibly be the best thing that had ever happened to either of them?

Or maybe somewhere deep inside him he remembered all those others who had hurt him in the past, or he had thought he truly wanted to be with but they just seemed to slip through his fingers. Whether it was for sex, money, or the power they thought they would possess from being with Axel and his high standing family. Reno had been hurt like that too, so many times; he hid his pain and sadness behind his happy-go-lucky demeanor. Axel held that within him as well, he made himself look a lot stronger than he felt, as anyone did who had ever been hurt. Maybe it was because he was younger and just not as mature enough to handle letting go of his fears and taking the jump. Maybe it was nothing but paranoia…

Riku reached over to brush against the red head's still hands. "Axel? You okay?"

Maybe he was scared to hurt someone the way he had been hurt…

"Axel?"

Or maybe…

The red head dropped the material he hand in his hands, letting it fall to his lap, reaching over and touching the other's cheek, searching unseeing eyes. Riku seemed to watch him, follow his movements from the breath against his face and the movement of Axel's arm. The older leaned in, fully cupping the other's cheek, lips inches from Riku's own…

…maybe he just needed to let go…

Riku's heart was pounding, he knew Axel was close, he wasn't sure of how close, but he knew it was closer than he should have been. The hand on his cheek was comforting, stilling him, drawing him in as Axel leaned closer. As his fingertips brushed fully against Riku's cheek, palm making contact, something cold and wet smothered itself underneath the older boy's hand. Not wanting to break the moment, but knowing he had to say something, Riku asked softly, "Do you have paint on your hands?"

Axel stopped not an inch from Riku's lips, seeming to snap out of his trance, pulling away and removing his palm, bright neon blue paint making a messy handprint against the younger's pale skin. "Shit Riku, I didn't even think about it!" He stood up quickly, leaving the blind boy stunned and confused, but hot underneath it all. He walked to the bathroom, quickly washed off his hands, grabbed a washcloth, wet it, and came back to the other still sitting where he had left him on the floor. He went down on his knees before Riku, reaching up and pulling back pale tresses so as not to get the blue in his pristine hair, then began wiping the paint off gently, warm water easily taking off the still wet paint. He took it off slowly, making sure not to leave any color on the half-albino's skin, Riku watching him with dead eyes, sensing the other's distress and speechlessness. In quiet contemplation Riku sat and let the older wash his cheek, not saying anything, sitting in an uncomfortable silence that was only broken by Axel letting out a soft sigh. "I'm sorry."

As he pulled his hand away Riku reached up and took it, squeezing it lightly, the washcloth warm against his thumb and forefinger. "Why?"

Axel looked away, not that the other would be able to see him blushing, but he was embarrassed none the less. Their first kiss with paint on his hands? Smooth Axel, real smooth. Not that first kisses were ever perfect but he wanted theirs to be. It was childish and romantic and would probably never happen that way if it happened at all, but it was still something he wanted. And now that it had almost happened, and nothing had been said, what was he going to tell Riku? His ears felt hot, eyes closing for a moment until Riku moved from his hand to his shoulder, leaning into him and pressing his forehead to the crook of Axel's neck.

They stayed like that for a moment, not saying anything, before soft lips moved against the older's neck, Riku saying softly, "Thank you for letting me be with you. It means a lot to me, you caring so much to let me stay here, taking care of me the way you have been. I should be nothing to you, I'm a stranger…"

The red head pushed the other boy back a bit; looking at the emotions on the younger's face. "Riku, I know we haven't known one another long, but it doesn't feel that way. I mean, I feel as close to you as I do most of my friends. It's uncanny, I usually don't let myself get so near to people so soon after I've met them, but with you I think it's okay." He pressed his forehead to Riku's searching eyes he wished would search his own in turn. "I trust you, and I don't know why, but I do. I trust you more than just about everyone I know, and I want to learn to trust you even more." He smiled softly, brushing fingertips against the pale boy's arm and chest. "If we're this close already, I wonder where time will be able to take us…"

Riku blushed slightly. The way Axel was talking to him was so endearing, almost loving. It made his heart ache.

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

Lunch time at school and everyone was buzzing about Axel, Riku, and what had happened last night with Naminé. Demyx, Zexion, Roxas, and Yuffie were all sitting together in the dip they had claimed as their spot to sit at during lunch, munching away on french-fries and hamburgers. Suddenly Yuffie let out a loud sigh and reached up to run a hand through her short, straight hair. "I was looking forward to having a girl to talk to at lunch too, and now not only is she not here, Axel and Riku have bailed on us too."

Demyx took a large bite out of his burger, not commenting, looking over at Zexion to see if the other boy had anything to say. Silver hair covering one of his slate gray-blue eyes, the older boy looked over at the girl and replied, "Would you really want Riku to be here, knowing what he went through last night? I'm surprised he came to school at all."

The blonde on the other side of Yuffie nodded in agreement, saying sadly, "When we saw them in the hallway this morning Riku was crying." Roxas bit into a french-fry and chewed for a moment before adding, "Sora kept trying to make him feel better, but I guess Axel took them home. We didn't see them after the first bell."

"That reminds me," Yuffie said, changing the subject, "is Sora alright? About what happened last night I mean."

"Yeah, I saw his hand earlier, he was all bandaged up." Demyx added, "Did he fall or something?"

"He cut himself." Roxas replied softly, eyes cloudy. "He talked with Riku about something, got upset, and cut a gash into his palm. I'll be fine; it just needs a bit to heal."

"Oh, Roxas, I'm sorry." Yuffie said, touching the boy's arm gently. "It had been a while hadn't it? Since he'd cut himself last?"

"Yeah…"

Demyx and Zexion exchanged another glance; then Zexion asked, "Did he say what they had talked about? I mean, Sora seemed so happy last night being around Riku, finally seeing him again. I can't imagine what Riku could do to drive Sora to cut himself after all this time."

"I don't know, but it doesn't matter. Sora said it was something stupid and dropped it at that." Roxas shifted his position, crossing his legs and picking up another french-fry. "I didn't want to pressure him into talking about it; it would only upset him all over again."

"I think everything will turn out okay, you know?" Demyx said, dirty blonde hair disheveled in the passing wind, the tree above them groaning as it's branches swayed back and forth. "Sora's come a long way since we first found him, and now with Riku and Naminé here I think maybe we'll finally get to see the side of him he buried when he first left his old town."

"It makes me sad, to think about all of this. We've only known them for what, two days?" Yuffie whispered. "Naminé's in a coma, Sora's cutting himself again, Axel and Riku aren't at school…"

"Neither is Tasogare." Kurei added as he walked over to them from across the school yard, "she's home taking care of Kairi. I can't imagine the guilt trip that girl must be having, as much of a brat as she is, she didn't mean for that accident to happen. Taso said she's really sick with herself, Kai-chan is."

Demyx rolled his eyes, "Why was she here anyway? It seems like every time Kairi comes around she causes nothing but trouble."

"Talk about trouble, could you believe Sephiroth last night? Of all the nerve to show up like that, knowing Zack was going to be there for _Chakram_ and _Saberflight_." Yuffie hissed. "All of this bullshit drama for no reason. I can't believe how people can be so cruel. After everything he's done to Zack…"

"I think Cloud's going to be good for him." Zexion replied, Kurei walking over and sitting down beside the silver haired boy and his dark blonde companion.

"Yeah, I know, did you see the way they were holding one another last night?" Kurei added, the gold in his eyes glinting as he smiled. "They're cute together."

"They so totally are!" Yuffie agreed, "Reno and I saw them kissing!"

Laughter erupted from the boys, the young girl immediately defending herself. She wasn't a pervert, oh no, just a hardcore yaoi fan! They shared more stories on much lighter notes, laughter covering up their worries and regrets, their sadness and loss, to replace their cold feelings with warmth and love generated from the friends around them and in their thoughts. Everything would turn out okay, it always did. It had to.

-xxxo0:O:0oxx-

Tasogare, after hours upon hours of watching her younger cousin cry, wake up long enough to eat then fall back into restless slumber, picked herself up off of the end of the bed and walked into the living room. Miki was there to greet her as she walked across the carpet, a soft warm breeze floating through the house from the open windows, incense cleansing the air with the scent of lilac. The gray tabby brushed against her legs as she sat down on the couch, Tailo propped up on the end of the loveseat across from her, purring happily in his sleep. The large yellow tomcat cracked one eye open to look over at Taso before shutting it again and yawning, then getting up and curling into a different position, flicking his tail lazily. Nyao was no where to be seen, probably outside somewhere chasing the rabbits in the yard, the spunky calico kitten liked to spend most of her time outside, unlike the two older cats. Tasogare threw her head back against the cushions of the couch, looking at the ceiling with a sense of hopelessness. What could she do to make Kairi feel better? What could she do for Naminé? And god, what on earth could she say to her aunt and uncle when they called to check in on their daughter? She needed to get away for a while; her cats could only do so much to comfort her. She needed to go somewhere where she knew she could get lost, forget the world, and completely let go of everything. She wrote Kairi and note and took her the phone and a glass of water, sitting it on the table beside the sleeping girl, grabbed her coat, backpack, and wallet, and took off out the front door. She could easily handle walking from her house into town; she would be able to walk back in the dark too, like she had last night before Naminé… Shrugging off thoughts that would only depress her, she strutted along, hoisting her backpack higher on her shoulder, mint-green curls bouncing down her back and on her shoulders. There was one place she knew she could always go and never have to worry about anything: the library.

The walk wasn't long. Cutting through the country side, Taso walked past where the earth had been uprooted and burned from the night before, metal debris still jutting from the ground along the side of the road. The woods were thick with the sound of crickets and bird calls, parting abruptly into an open field, leading down a short incline and to the backyards of some of the town's businesses. She cut down an alleyway between a restaurant and an apartment building, rushing past the smell of trash and sewage, back out into the open air and the sounds of the city. Feet hitting the sidewalk with a quick gait she skip-stepped down the pavement, amethyst eyes dancing across the town and its people. It was still early in the day, not much past noon; school was still in, the sun still high in the sky. Kairi would be sleeping for a while, she would have time to read and relax, and then maybe after a few hours she could meet Kurei and they could hang out at the park. Pushing open large double doors, nose and eyes feasting on the smell of books, must, and cherry oak she took one of the nearby staircases to the next floor. The wood of the railing was smooth under her fingers, the rich red color making everything look rosy as she ascended the spiral staircase, watching the walls of books that continued to go on and on for what seemed like forever. She could half-way imagine herself donned in fairy-tale princess attire, ascending the stairs to one of her castle's towers, the red in her eyes brought on by the sun shining through the rose stained glass windows along the tower's walls. Or maybe it was rose-petals shimmering down from the sky as she climbed a twisted tree in some hidden forest. She wished Naminé was here with her to enjoy it, she knew more than anything else about the girl that she had found a kindred spirit. And how, it had been spirited away…

Leaving the stairs she stepped lightly onto wooden floors, boots clip-clopping against the cherry wood, shining eloquently under the afternoon light streaming in through the overhead skylights, illuminating the dust in the air. There was something magical about this old library, how everything seemed to glow red, then golden. The shimmers in the room could be nothing short of the essence of the cosmos, pixie dust, a fairy's laughter burst into a million dancing shards glistening in the air taken in by your very breath. She could see that little blonde girl smile as she read her books, sitting in the blue and tan loveseat down the hallway Tasogare passed down, fingertips brushing the spines of the books Naminé had the day before. Her hand came to rest on the binding of a thick, worn book she knew very well. Pulling the hardback from its place amongst others of its kind, she flipped through the first few pages before the book revealed the box cut into the inside, a key resting safely among the text. This little brass piece of metal meant a great deal to Tasogare, it had been her guide many times, the key to her castle if you will. There were so many stories behind it, so many emotions; so many dreams. It had opened the gateways to people's minds and hearts. And now, she was going to use it to find Naminé.

She took the key from its hiding spot, wrapped her fingers around it tightly, and then put the book back on the shelf. Taking a few steps away she went back towards the banister railing the balcony overlooking the lover floor of the library. Lavender eyes met ghost white, a small, pale creature entering her thoughts, a wolf yet a boy. He stopped her dead in her tracks. "It's been a while Tasogare. Who are we looking for this time?"

Eyes softening in recognition she smiled softly, and if she would have been able to touch the small boy before her she would have ruffled his hair. "Shiloh," she whispered in greeting, "you never cease to amaze me."

"We made a contract, you and I."

"And you so honor it, as do I." Tasogare agreed, walking past the small boy and towards the stairs. "We have quite a journey ahead of us."

Shiloh didn't say anything, just walked slowly behind her, looking back at the books along the walls as he did so. "She was here?"

"Do you feel her?" Tasogare asked, looking back fleetingly at the boy.

"The one we're to look for, yes," he whispered, "I think I feel her here now."

Taso stopped. Shiloh had an amazing sense of knowing where fellow spirits were; it was sometimes uncanny how close he and Taso were intertwined, though they hadn't been in contact for quite some time now. "I thought I would never need to speak with you again."

"There was a time when you didn't want to either."

The girl stepped lightly, taking each pace down the spiraling wood one length at a time. "There was darkness in those times, a darkness I couldn't handle. I was younger, afraid. Kurei and I talk about you often you know, the things we've been through together. I sometimes wonder if he believes me."

"I think he does," Shiloh whispered, suddenly before her in the stairs, taking a few steps down, eyes roaming everywhere, alert and attentive, "I think he believes more than you realize."

Smiling thoughtfully, clasping the key in her hand, the only gesture she knew Shiloh would be able to feel, she walked across the wooden floor towards a large area in the back that held some of the oldest books in this part of the world, books kept behind glass so humans couldn't contaminate them. Lucky for her she had the key to get through those locks and chains, and see those hidden words for herself. Shiloh lead the way, down one bookshelf then another, zigzagging, a maze of hallways and ladders to reach higher shelves, carts full of books hindering their way; but they pressed through. Taso was expecting it; she'd walked this path before. "I can't stay here all day; can I take you with me this time?"

Shiloh stopped, looking back at her in mock agitation. "I suppose. I could use a bit of fresh air."

"Oh, so you can be blown away by the passing winds?" She said, teasing the transparent figure of a child before her. "You won't escape me that easily."

"Escape?" he laughed lightly, something between a wolf's growl and bells chiming, "You make our contract sound like it's a bad thing."

Violet followed after ghost-white, never quite sure where he was taking her but knowing what lay at the end of the pathway. One of Dashilaw's secrets; an underground section of the library where the priests of old times had hidden their forbidden books, the gateways to other worlds, whether in reality or just in ones mind. She never questioned the happenings that had occurred in this library's hidden chambers, they just happened, and when the latent powers long buried there were used properly, magic things could sometimes occur. Like drawing people out of comas… It would be a long, time-consuming process, one Taso had never tried before, but perhaps she and Shiloh could find someone or something close to Naminé that would be her contractor, and lead her back into the land of the living. All she knew was, in her own way, she had to try.

-x-x-x-

Kairi woke up to the sounds of purring and a weight on her chest. Miki looked down at her as Kairi cracked open one indigo eye, magenta-red hair falling down her shoulders as she sat up in bed, the cat tumbling down to her waist and looking content to lay there until she decided it was her time to wake up. A mewl of protest rose from the tabby as Kairi pushed the covers aside, looking around for her cousin who wasn't there, eyes meeting the note Tasogare had left for her on the nightstand. She picked it up, scanned the letter briefly, picking out "call me" and "library" before groaning and tossing herself carefully back on the bed. Her head was killing her, along with every other inch of her body. Her ribs were wrapped in heavy-duty gauzy and medical tape, so moving anything was difficult; the medicine the doctor had given her only doing so much to cover up the pain. She felt tears well up in her eyes. She wasn't allowed to not be in pain, she should be in a lot of it, a lot worse that this. She had put someone she didn't even know into a coma, someone who had been Taso's friend, who had only been in town for a _day_! And it was all Kairi's fault.

Yeah, sure, it had been an accident, but to Kairi that meant nothing. She still felt responsible. Maybe if she was the one in the coma, and not the one who ended up being okay, then they could say it hadn't been her fault and she might have believed them. The guilt she was feeling hurt worse than her broken ribs. How did this happen? How could she have done this?

"So much for a fucking vacation." The red head mumbled, throwing an arm over her eyes, angrily wiping away tears. Miki was watching her, flicking her tail back and forth, looking like she might pounce on the wounded girl any minute. "Stupid cat…" Kairi whispered, tossing a pillow at her. The tabby took off into the other room, tail high in the air as if to tell the girl she would do as she pleased, thrown pillow or not. Sighing, looking up at the ceiling and feeling completely disgusted with herself, Kairi whispered, "What am I gonna do?"

-xxxo0:O:0oxx-

After a long morning of kissing, talking, a hot shower, more kissing, and then finally getting dressed, Cloud and Zack stepped out of older boy's apartment. "I only have a couple of classes today, should take a few hours, maybe four." The dark haired boy said, walking with the blonde over to his red viper. "You sure you're going to be okay here by yourself?"

"Yeah, I'll catch up on some TV or something, I really don't feel like doing too much right now, maybe later when you get home we can go out or something."

Zack let a smile cross his face, amethyst eyes shining in the sunlight. "Sounds good, you've got a date then!" Leaning in and catching a quick kiss the boy opened his door and slipped inside his car, turning it on and rolling down the window so he could tell Cloud goodbye. "Call me if you need anything, promise?"

"I promise." Cloud replied gently, leaning down and giving the older boy another kiss through the open window. "I'll be here, go have fun!"

"Oh, yeah, fun." Zack said, rolling his eyes. "Calculus is _so_ what I wanted to do today."

Laughing lightly Cloud backed away from the car, watching his boyfriend back out of the driveway and into the street, waving as he drove off into town. He was so sweet and never asked for anything in return. The blonde sighed, watching his viper fade around a corner. His heart was full of excitement and happiness, with the underlying fear of his little sister's predicament. He'd go see her later today, Cloud decided, he was sure Zack wouldn't mind. He missed the girl already, her texts and random voicemails she'd leave of her singing for Cloud to wake up and call her back. He smiled, eyes softening, reaching up to rub the back of his neck as he turned and looked up high into the sky. The sun was starting to descend from its highest point in the sky, the atmosphere nearly cloud-free, the blue depth of the sky a light shade of baby-blue. Cloud shielded his eyes from the light after a moment, turning and walking back to Zack's apartment, stepping inside and wiping his bare feet on the rug before treading across the carpet and sitting down on the couch. Grabbing the remote and settling down for a few hours of vegging, the blonde tried not to think too much about having to go to school tomorrow. He couldn't concentrate on anything right now without thoughts of his sister drifting in. Maybe he'd be able to function in time for classes the next day, but right now all he wanted to do was rot a few brain cells on daytime television. He shook his head, smile twisting his lips. If there was anything he could watch to make his life seem _so_ much better: at least he wasn't married to his aunt, didn't have a twin who was an axe murderer, wasn't anyone's daddy, and had never been in a psycho ward! Ah, you gotta love soap operas. Now, where did Zack hide his chips?

-xxxo0:O:0oxx-

"What do you want for lunch Riku?" Axel asked, washing his hands free of glitter and remnants of glue and paint. "Want me to order some pizza?"

"Oh wow, pizza sounds great actually." Riku replied, fingers dancing along Axel's arm until they reached the hot water streaming from the bathroom faucet. "I like cheese, what kind do you like?"

"Yeah, cheese is good." Axel agreed, "I'll order us one then, you like breadsticks?"

"With garlic sauce?"

"Is there any other way to eat breadsticks?"

With a laugh Riku replied, "Not that's worth eating!"

"That's what I'm talkin' 'bout." Axel teased, splashing the younger boy playfully. Riku gasped and splashed Axel back, throwing more water on the boy than he had meant to, soaking the front of the red-head's shirt. "Hey! I already took a shower!"

"Oh god, did I get you?"

"Yeah, you got me good." Axel replied, laughing as he pulled his shirt off over his head, laying it across the towel rack to dry. "How do you have such good aim without being able to see where you're splashing?"

Riku shrugged, smile bright on his lips. "I'm good like that."

"Uh huh, I'm sure you are." Axel mock agreed, stepping closer to the boy, reaching out his arms slowly, hands curled into claws.

Riku, feeling the other boy getting closer, asked, "Axel, what are you doing?"

"Tickling you, of course." The red head replied, catching hold of the younger and going for his ribs, who turned into a giggling, screaming mess in a matter of seconds. If Axel had thought his bout with Xemnas had the blind boy rolling, it was nothing compared to the way he was being tickled now.

"No! No no no no Axel! No ahahahaaaa Axel stop it stop stop stahahaah!" Shrill with laughter Riku took off a few feet before the older had him captured again, wrestling him over to his bed, tickling him until tears came to the younger's eyes. "Axel stop, oh, god, I c-, I can't breathe!"

The red head half tripped over a pair of deconstructed pants as he came close to the edge of bed. Falling forward and pinning Riku beneath him and against the tussled covers, both of them erupted in laughter, the blind boy looking up at him with an amused smile, dead eyes ghosting into his own. It sent shivers down Axel's spine, but not in a bad way. Such an eerie beauty Riku's eyes possessed, Axel rolling onto his side and reaching down to touch the boy's cheek lightly. The blind boy winced as the older's fingertips first made contact with his face, but once the younger realized what the red-head was doing he relaxed, eyes roaming where he knew Axel must be hovering over him. The laughter had faded into silence so suddenly it still rang in their ears, a soft smile etched across Axel's face and he brushed this fingers across Riku's cheek. "Is this okay?" he asked, moving up a bit, touching the edge of Riku's scar. Closing his eyes partially, Riku made an affirming noise, the older boy starting at where the scar crossed his cheek and working upwards to the corner of his eye. Riku closed them all the way, letting Axel brush against the back of his eyelids, over knotted pale pink scars, to the bridge of his nose, across this other eyelid, and to his temple.

Opening his eyes, searching the dark, Riku whispered, "It doesn't bother you?"

Shaking his head lightly, Axel whispered back, "No. In some twisted way I find it rather…pretty."

Riku blushed lightly, leaning his cheek into Axel's palm. "I wouldn't know. I haven't seen myself in over four years."

Axel laughed gruffly, reaching up and brushing Riku's bangs away from his eyes. "You're good looking, trust me. I know what I'm talking about."

Smile playing across his lips, Riku jested, "Oh, I'm sure you would know how hot a guy I am, after all you look at guys that way all the time."

Axel's eyes softened, knowing the younger was playing with him. "Well Riku, I am bi."

Riku's smile immediately faded back into blushing, "O-oh? Really? I wasn't saying that to be mean or anything, I-"

Pressing two fingers against Riku's lips Axel quieted the boy. "I know you weren't saying that in a derogatory way, I was messing with you too. I am bisexual though, and I _do_ know what I'm talking about." Riku looked up at him, searching; blush turning his pale cheeks rouge. "You're very good looking, trust me;" then adding at Riku's expression, "Really you are."

"Thank you…" the blind boy said, not quite sure what to do in his current situation. It was a habit of his to take things in his hand and clench it, a reassurance that the person, thing, or ground was still there, something stable in his unseen world. He would have reached up and fisted Axel's shirt if he had been wearing one, but since he wasn't, Riku had nothing else to do besides reach up and touch his bare chest. It sent a shiver through Axel, one Riku noticed right away, wondering if he should pull his hand back or let it stay. Trying to take his mind off of what they were doing physically, the way they were barely touching, Riku decided to try and come up with something to break the silence that had momentarily fallen around the two boys. "I'm not quite sure what I am, sexually I mean. I've never really liked anyone, never let anyone get close to me, except for Sora. And when he kissed me…"

"That was really your first kiss?" Axel asked, reaching down and brushing his hand against Riku's arm.

"Yes…" Riku replied, hand reaching up and unconsciously brushing against a nipple. The cool metal caught the younger boy's attention; fingers reaching up and pressing against the small hoop gently, the other hand reaching up and searching for the parallel hoop. "And I thought I was brave getting my ear pierced."

"Well, it takes a lot to beat Axel." The red head teased, "I do know for a fact that Demyx is thinking about getting his downstairs pierced though."

"Umm, ouch?" Riku replied, furrowing his forehead in a concerned way. "I can't even imagine how badly that would hurt."

Axel looked down, watching pale hands press against his more tanned skin. "Some people say that after it's healed it can feel really good. Like belly-button piercings, and nipples."

"Your nipples feel good?" Riku asked, then rephrasing, added, "I mean, it feels good for them to be pierced?"

"Yeah," the red head replied, "it can feel really good."

Feeling a blush creeping back to his cheeks Riku moved his hands away a bit, more towards the center of Axel's chest. He didn't want to be touching somewhere he shouldn't, and he didn't know the older boy's body well enough to know when he would be overstepping his boundaries. "What does it feel like?"

"Well, probably a bit more intense than what it feels like for someone to play with your earring. Nipples are of course more sensitive, but it's the same concept." The red-head tilted his head lightly, "Haven't you ever had anyone tease your ear before?"

Blinking, Riku shook his head, Axel sighing lightly and shifting up to where he could get his lips level with the younger's ear, pulling the blind boy to him and against his chest. "Relax," Axel whispered, pleasant tingles passing down Riku's spine. Hot air wisped against the boys neck and he rested his head on the bed, his left ear exposed, hair parted and cascading down his back from where the older boy had reached back to cup his neck in his hand. Riku's eyes were open, hands pressed against Axel's chest, as the older leaned in and wrapped his lips around the younger's earring. Gasping lightly at the sensation, the blind boy closed his eyes, fingers pressing into Axel's chest from where the taller held him to his frame. Biting him gently, Axel felt Riku's muscles move underneath the hand he had at the back of his neck, trembling slightly; mouth letting out a soft gasp. _Oh god this is going to do absolutely_ nothing _to keep me from having to take a cold shower later_ … The older boy thought to himself, licking a half-moon around Riku's hoop, taking it into his mouth and teasing it lightly, not too hard and not too soft, but enough that the younger got an amazing feeling out of it. Axel was experienced, but even if he hadn't been he would have known he was doing things right from the way Riku was clasping at his chest, shaking lightly, face hot against Axel's skin. He kept replaying that little gasp of pleasure over and over in his mind as he kissed Riku's ear and pulled away, looking down at he younger pressed against his chest, blushing furiously.

"You okay?" he asked softly, fingers working gently at Riku's neck, calming the younger. _Was that too much_? He wondered, moving back some more. Riku's eyes were half-lidded, breathing ever so slightly elevated, fingers still pressed closely against Axel's chest.

"I-I'm fine." Riku finally whispered back, moving away slightly, rolling onto his back and looking away. It looked like his blush wasn't going to be going away any time soon. "And, when someone plays with your nipples, it feels even better than that?"

Chuckling lightly, Axel asked, "It felt good?" Riku nodded, his face growing impossibly redder. "Yes, I think so anyway, but my nipples are extremely sensitive. It's different for different people, you know?"

Riku nodded again, completely turned on and completely embarrassed about it. It wouldn't be too physically evident, but it was there, lying in wait and silently asking Axel to continue. Riku wondered for a moment if Axel could sense these things, hoping the older couldn't tell, before the taller boy moved into a sitting position and let out a sigh.

 _I'd better do something before this turns into something awkward for both of us_. Axel thought to himself, still not sure of exactly what Riku's reaction was. Sure, the boy had said he had liked it, that was obviously one of his sweet spots from the way he had reacted, but Axel wasn't sure if it would be the opportune moment for him to try anything further, or if it would be the right time to try and kiss him. Instead of taking the chance, he completely changed the subject, asking happily as he turned to look down at the other boy, "So, you ready for that pizza?"

"Y-yeah…" Riku answered. _I'm ready for you to make out with me..._ He added, kicking himself inwardly at the thought. He couldn't be thinking like that about Axel, after all…it was Axel. They were friends. Just because he was attracted to him, and the red head seemed to be attracted to him too, and he was completely turned on at the situation… "We're getting breadsticks too right?" He asked, shaking those sorts of thoughts from his head. A bread stick was exactly what he needed; a long, hot… "I really like cheese pizza." Riku squeaked, sitting up as well, Axel smiling over at the boy.

"Then cheese pizza we will get."


	10. Jabberwocky

Cheese pizza: the god's personal gift to mankind. Dominoes did it well, Papa Johns, eh; but Godfathers? Oh hell to the yeah. "Thish ish rhally ghud." Riku managed between mouthfuls, Axel already working on his third piece, the two boys hovering over their pizza box from where they were sprawled out on the older's bed.

"Yeah," the older replied, grinning over at the other boy, "good thing I decided to order two of them, haha; this one will be gone in like five minutes!" Riku made a happy affirming noise somewhere between half-choking and chugging his coca cola. He still wasn't quite used to the carbonation, so he coughed afterwards, Axel patting him concernedly on the back. "Don't choke man; you act like I didn't feed you this morning!"

Riku swallowed finally, taking a long series of pants before regaining his composure and replying, "Our parents are never home, and Naminé likes Chinese takeout a lot more that she does pizza. I haven't had anything this good in a while."

Laughing, Axel replied, "Well I like take out as much as the next guy, but pizza is a must. I bet she eats nothing but rice, skinny little thing. Man's gotta have meat on his bones!"

Riku nodded in concurrence, laughing lightly before taking another much smaller bite. "So, what did you want to do after this? If you want to watch television you can, it doesn't bother me to sit and listen to it. I'm used to 'watching' TV with Naminé. She can't watch scary movies by herself, so I have to sit with her and make sure the bad guys don't come crawling out from under the couch to grab at her feet."

"Wow," Axel said, "is she scared easy or what?"

Riku rolled his eyes, munching away at his pizza. "More like traumatized by Cloud, he used to hide under her bed when we were little and grab at her feet when she went to go to bed."

That comment had Axel choking on pizza from laughing so hard, Riku reaching over and feeling up an arm to slap the other half-heartedly on the back. "Gosh Axel you act like I didn't feed you this morning."

Coughing, the red headed boy managed a playful "Shut up!" before delving back into his lunch, the two eating the rest of their meal in moderate silence, playful pushing and laughter coming from one another at stolen slices and choice nicknames. Finally, Axel wiping his mouth to rid his face of any remnants of cheesy goodness, the older replied to what Riku had said earlier. "We don't have to watch TV, I mean, we can if it comes down to it, but you just got into town right? Have you even been anywhere in Dashilaw yet?"

Riku shook his head, finishing his coke and setting the empty can down on the nightstand then turning back to face Axel, crossing his legs as he did so. "Nope, just to school and the park with you last night. I've heard this is a much bigger city that the one we came from though; what all is there to do in town?"

"Well we've got a bitchin' arcade in the mall me, Dem, and Zex like to go hang out at. The mall's massive, there's tons of shops we could go check out; Spencers, Hot Topic, Nirvana **(1),** F.Y.E., you name it we've probably got it."

"That sounds like fun, you want to go hang out there after a while? I'd like to go around town and check everything out." He smiled to himself, tilting his head lightly, then added after a moment, "…and with Naminé gone there's no one I'd really feel comfortable doing something like this with other than you." Axel's eyebrows arched, somewhat startled at sadness behind Riku's words, but listened in silence as the younger continued. "I'll be pretty freaked out about the whole thing…so if I'm not talking much don't think I'm not enjoying myself, it's just I have to try and sense everything all at once." He shifted, hands fisting the denim of his jeans. "I mean, I can't see anything, so it's hard for me to get around alone…"

"I understand, and if it's too much for you to deal with we can always leave, but I think if you want to go you'd really enjoy it a lot." He looked the other boy over with thoughtful consideration. "Tell you what, let's wait until the others get out of school, then we can all go together okay? They were worried about you earlier…Sora especially." Riku looked away at that comment, sighing lightly. "I'll call Demyx in a sec, they should be at lunch now too; I'll get him to tell everyone to meet us at the arcade." He searched Riku's expression, looking for any sense of being uncomfortable, or unwilling. "Does that sound good?"

The moved his head back in the direction of where Axel's voice had come from. "That sounds great Axel, thank you." He paused, then added, "Thank you for convincing me to leave school earlier too; hanging out like this I can handle, but sitting in a class listening to someone teach…it would have me spacing out being all emo."

The red head thought for a moment then asked carefully, "Do you want to go see her? We can you know, visiting hours started a while ago."

Riku reached over, touching Axel's arm, thinking to himself. "Maybe later, after the arcade; I'm thinking too much about it right now as it is, you know? I'm afraid I might start to cry again if I went to go see her now."

"It's okay to be upset about it Riku, it's a normal reaction to something like this, I mean, you're her brother. Why shouldn't you cry about it?"

Not replying, Riku moved to lie back against the pillows at the head of the bed, sighing and spacing out in the general direction of the ceiling. "I wonder what she looks like now. She was a little ghost when she was younger; we got the albino gene from our mom, but she has it more than me. The kids in our hometown had nicknamed her 'Bunny' from her white hair and pink eyes. She thought it was cute, but they were being cruel to her." The blind boy moved, placing an arm across his eyes, continuing softly. "It's so unfair, the way all of this has played out. She's so fragile, so innocent, and at the same time even with her being my baby sister ever since the accident she's had to take care of me." He tisked lightly. "I can't do things by myself, no matter how hard I try, I just can't." He stopped for a moment; then whispered, "I know it's hurt her, for her to have to be with me in order for me to do just about everything. I feel like I've handicapped her for these past few years. I've told her to go do thing by herself and with her friends, but she would never let me stay home without her, never let me be alone in the dark. She's the least selfish, most amazing person I know." A smile crossed his lips at those words, but then slowly faded back into a saddened look. "Then, when she was finally away from all those people, finally making friends and laughing with more than just that fake chime she'd picked up over the years…and then this. Now she's in a coma… I don't understand how that could work." He swallowed, one of those before-cry shaky breaths escaping his throat. "I mean, can't someone up there cut her a break already? She's been through so much, and most of it's been because of me. All because I had to climb that stupid tree…"

Moving the pizza box to the floor Axel slowly crawled up the bed, lying down beside Riku, careful not to touch the other, unsure of what he should do. He was honored that the other boy would think so much of him to be this open, to tell him his innermost thoughts, but he wasn't sure what he could do or say to comfort the boy. He wasn't crying but he had so many things built up inside of him, hurting him. There was so much guilt there from something that wasn't his fault but he blamed himself for anyway. "Riku," Axel began softly, "if she cared enough for you that she would do all of this for you, don't beat yourself up over it. You're right, she is your baby sister, and she loves you and wants to spend time with you. I know it must be hard for you, I couldn't imagine being blind and then having to rely on Reno or someone to be there for me the way she has been for you. I would feel so bad, like how you're saying you think you've hurt her…" He reached over, touching Riku's side lightly. "…but that's what people do for the ones they love. They're there for them no matter what, they do things regardless of themselves; and if she didn't want to leave you alone in the dark can you blame her? Wouldn't you do the same thing for her?"

Riku's breathing almost stopped, that thought sinking in. Of course Riku would have done that for Naminé, everything she had done for him and so much more. Anything she could ever ask for he would deliver, no questions asked, no matter how impossible it may seem. He would find a way; after all, he was her older brother. He would be there for her no matter what. A sudden weight that had been creeping up on him since long before Naminé had ever left the conscious realm seemed to start lifting away at those thoughts. She meant everything to him, so it would only be fitting that she shared those feelings and felt the same for him. A smile tugged at his lips as he pulled his arm from across his face, tears stinging the corners of his eyes. "You knew just what to say didn't you?" Riku sniffed, "Dumb jerk, now you've got me all shits and giggles."

Axel laughed softly, rubbing his thumb comfortingly against Riku's arm. "Hey, it's what I'm here for."

Letting himself laugh, a half-breath sound of hope rising up off the floor and beginning its slow ascent back up to the highpoint in his heart, Riku rolled over and curled into Axel, letting the older boy wrap his arms around his smaller frame in a reassurance that he had no plans of going anywhere anytime soon. The feeling Riku took from that small simple act of Axel talking to him and understanding what he felt, then doing what he could to make it better, touched the blonde boy deeply. Had they really only met two days ago? He felt like he could fall asleep again locked in Axel's embrace. The older boy leaned in, cheek resting on the top of Riku's head, letting out an easy sigh. "I'm here for you now, and I care about you too. Maybe not in the same way that Naminé did, maybe not as deeply yet; but I'm your friend and I'm not going to let you sit around in the dark either… I want you to hang out with me and my friends and go places and do things and have a normal life as much as you can. You deserve that." He reached up, rubbing Riku's back gently. "Naminé will come out of this, you'll see. She just needs a bit of time."

The younger boy sniffed again, mumbling something along the lines of an 'uh huh' unto the red-head's chest, then said, "And the reason I don't like to let myself cry is because it kind of hurts to, if I cry too hard."

Axel blinked. "It hurts you to cry?"

Riku nodded, pulling back a bit, looking up at where he figured Axel was looking down at him. "Especially along the part where my scar goes down from my eye to my cheek; when I cry it knots up more than usual, gives me a really bad headache after a while."

"Do you need some Tylenol?" the older boy asked, reaching up and massaging the back of Riku's neck gently.

The other boy shook his head, "I'm fine, thank you though."

They stayed like that for a while; soft touches and deep, comfortable breaths, completely content to lay there holding one another for as long as they would be. During that silence thoughts began brewing in Axel's mind. He wondered if there was a way now, in the years that had passed, for there to be something done about Riku's sight. The accident had happened when the boy had been so young there really hadn't been anything that the doctors could have done, with him still growing and all. But now that the boy was coming to an end of his growth spurt age the older boy wondered if there was a way to alleviate any of Riku's pain from scarring and sightlessness. He would have to look into it later; maybe there would be a way for him to help Riku be able to cry again. Not that it was a good thing to cry, but it was an even worse thing for it to hurt when doing so.

And then maybe, if Axel could do anything about it, maybe someday Riku would be able to look back at him and see him for the first time. It sent shudders of hope soaring through his chest, tingling in the back of this throat. There had to be something he could do.

-xxxo0:O:0oxx-

Sora sat to himself at lunch, over across the school yard where he and Tasogare usually sat and ate. Looking across the way, to where Roxas and the others were in their usual spot, he locked his arms around his knees and let out a long sad sigh. Riku wasn't here, he must have left sometime during the earlier classes. Axel wasn't here either, which must have meant that they were together somewhere, probably back and one of their houses. Sora couldn't blame Riku for leaving after everything that had happened the night before, he was surprised the boy had come to school in the first place, but he wished Axel would have called him and let him know what was going on. He didn't think the red-head had his number per say, but if he had wanted to get a hold of the brunette there were plenty of people he could have called to let Sora know what was going on.

Something else that irked the boy was the fact that Roxas had made no move to come and drag Sora over to the group of friends, not that he would have wanted to go, but the fact that the blonde hadn't even tried sort of stung the younger. They were dating after all, wouldn't Roxas want to be with the person he was seeing during lunch? Especially knowing Sora was alone? The bark of the tree the brunette was sitting against felt rough and uncomfortable through the thin layers of cloth he was wearing, but Sora made no effort to change his position. He didn't mind the slight pain, maybe it was for the same reason he felt the urge to cut himself. There was no right or wrong in it, no emotions, nothing but pure fierce pain. It was the only thing that he had ever felt clearly, that pain he inflicted upon himself. It grounded him, secured him; in a twisted way it let him know he was still living. Some days he wasn't so sure, he'd become so numb. But now…Riku had come back to him, after all this time. All these years when he thought he would never see his best friend again…he had lost all hope and tried to move on. He started seeing Roxas, never letting the other get too close, but letting him in nonetheless. His thoughts were so confused, in such disarray, he didn't know what to feel anymore. Was he happy Riku was back? Of course! But he couldn't feel that happiness without his heart remembering the way the other had gently pushed him away, eyes wide with surprise. He had told Sora he loved him, but it wasn't the way Sora wanted him to. He folded in on himself, leaning his head down to press his forehead to his knees. _What kind of person am I anyway?_ Sora thought bitterly. Roxas had worked so hard to get close to him, their first kiss had been a mistake, but one of the sweetest memories the brunette had. Roxas did everything for him, loved him more than life itself, would do anything for him no matter what and never asked the younger to do anything for him, sexually or otherwise. He was content with the occasional kiss, and was there for Sora in a way no one ever had been…since Riku. How could he just throw himself at his best friend when he had a boyfriend who'd done everything and anything to make Sora feel wanted and loved? Had he cheated on Roxas? He wanted to be with Riku, he wanted Riku to love him, and though it had only been a simple kiss and he had been pushed away, those thoughts were still here. Oh god, he had hadn't he? He'd cheated on Roxas. What was he going to do? Should he tell Roxas about it?

Raising his head and looking up at the sound of footsteps approaching, deep blue met with aquamarine, Roxas smiling down at him gently. "Can I join you?" Hurriedly wiping tears from his eyes Sora sniffed and nodded, scooting over to where Roxas could have his back against the tree as well, then curled back into himself. The blonde sat next to him silently, then reached over and tenderly took Sora's hand, turning it over and looking at the bandage wrapped around his palm. "Are you in pain?"

Cracking open his eyes and looking over at his lover, Sora whispered, "No."

Roxas, seeing Sora wasn't about to explain what was bothering him, leaned in and kissed the boy's cheek, drawing the younger against his chest. Sora loosed his grip on his knees, reaching out and wrapping an arm around Roxas' waist, face buried in the older's chest. "You know you can talk to me about anything Sora," the blonde boy said softly, "I would rather you tell me than hide something from me."

Sora tensed. Roxas always had a way of picking up on what the younger was thinking after the years they had known one another, even before they had started to date. Roxas had also hinted that he knew something had happened between Sora and Riku, but Sora knew he wouldn't press it if the brunette really didn't want him to know. The blonde was just like that; no matter what he wanted he would always put Sora first. Gripping the other a bit tighter, the younger boy whispered, "Last night at the park, when I went to go talk to Riku, something happened."

Roxas was quiet, rubbing Sora's back soothingly. He knew this, he knew there had been a reason behind Sora cutting himself, and that Riku was involved. Had they fought about something? No…that couldn't be it. If they had fought they wouldn't have embraced the way they had when Riku had been so upset earlier. It had to be something else… "Baby you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I understand."

Sora shook his head. "It's not that, I just don't know what you'll think. At the time I didn't think it was a big deal, something stupid that shouldn't have happened, but now that I think about it I might have made a huge mistake."

Roxas' eyes softened. Sora must have done something with Riku…something more than just talking. He knew from the way the younger was acting, not looking at him, clinging to him nervously, that he felt badly about it and was scared of what the other would think or do in reaction to his words. "Sora…" the blonde boy whispered, looking down at him with quiet understanding, "did you kiss him?"

The brunette pulled away, looking up at his lover. Searching those ice blue eyes and finding nothing there even vaguely hinting resentment or judgment, he whispered back, "I don't know what I was thinking, I mean, I hadn't seen him in so long and I just wanted to…" He looked away, losing his words, sighing in defeat. Finally, when Roxas made no move to leave or say anything condescending to the younger, Sora added, "I was being selfish…he pushed me away."

Sitting there for a moment, Roxas thought things over. He figured as much…something about rejection, no matter if it was grades, friends, or someone's words, had been one of the main reasons the brunette had ever cut himself. The pain from it, emotionally, gave way to a need to make it physical and drown out the emotional; anything was better than your heart hurting. Sora had a huge pain tolerance on the outside, the older had discovered, but on the inside he was all too easily shattered.

Three months ago had been one of the worst incidents Sora had ever had, when he and Roxas had gotten into their first spat. It had been something simple, mediocre, not a big deal at all; but unintentionally Roxas had hurt the younger's feelings. He had found Sora bleeding on the bathroom floor, sawing away at an arm like he couldn't even feel it, crying silently; staring at nothing.

" _Jesus, Sora!" Roxas cried, quickly going to the other boy and down to his knees, wrenching the knife away from him and pulling the younger to his chest. Sora acted like he couldn't even hear him, crying silently, blood pooling from the stripes down his arm. "Why? Why do you do this to yourself!"_

" _Because I hate myself!" The younger suddenly shouted, pushing Roxas away and turning to grab the knife the blonde and thrown across the floor. "I hate myself! I hate everything! And I'm too much of a fucking coward to go ahead and kill myself!"_

_Roxas grabbed the other's wrists, pulling him practically off of the floor in his efforts to turn the other around to face him, the knife once again in Sora's hands. Trapped there, staring Roxas straight in the eyes, knife clutched in one hand, red ribbons cascading down his arm and marking both of them with blood, Sora started bawling. Hard sobs wracked his small frame, tears pouring down his face, "I hate everything, I hate myself, I hate school, I have everyone, I hate you…"_

" _No you don't, otherwise you wouldn't cut yourself. If you didn't care at all you wouldn't be here right now, and I wouldn't be with you." Roxas whispered roughly. "Sora I care about you more than I care about myself, I would never leave you; I_ love _you baby! Why would you do this to yourself? Don't you know with every cut you make you're cutting me too?"_

_Sora looked up at him, shock in his deep blue eyes, tears standing still for a moment; replaced by the sudden confusion etched across his face. "I'm cutting y-you?" He hiccupped, sadness washing over his features. "I would never d-do anything to h-hurt you…"_

" _Don't you understand that I am a part of you? I feel your pain? I ache for you when you're hurting?" He reached over, grabbing a towel from the side of the tub, still wet from his shower earlier. He held Sora's arm away from the boy, wrapping the towel around it tightly, then pulling it against his chest. " I would take everything away from you and bear it all myself if I could Sora; all your grief and suffering, but I can't if you won't let me in."_

Even now Sora was still so closed off from Roxas; the boy had been so emotionally scarred from such a young age. Having friends, a home, and a family; then being uprooted and having to leave everything he knew, everyone he loved, to move to a different city. His parents had gotten a divorce soon after moving here, his father had lost his job, and his mother had begun seeing another man then moved away to a different city. Alone with an alcoholic father for the past few years, no one to talk to; no one to be with… Roxas couldn't imagine what the younger boy must have had to endure. Social services had finally noticed what was going on and put Sora back into school his freshman year, but his life at home was still the same. As much as Roxas wanted nothing more than for the boy to live with him he knew no matter what the circumstances were that his parents would never allow it, especially since they were in a relationship together that both his mother and father considered an unforgivable sin. He didn't have to hide their relationship at school or the mall, places with people he knew he could trust, but he knew that Sora would probably never be welcome in his parent's house, even if they didn't know of his relationship with their son. He was beneath him, they would say, a no class kid from a bad family. They couldn't be more wrong.

Roxas slipped out of his thoughts when he felt Sora pull away from him and stand up, crying silently, refusing to look at him. The blonde stood to his feet, taking this lover's arm and pulling him close, trying to comfort him in any way he could. "I forgive you." He whispered softly, knowing it was something Sora needed to hear. "It's okay." Sora let out a soft whimper and wrapped his arms around Roxas. There was nothing he could do to make Roxas mad it seemed like, he was that much of a good person. How could Sora want to be with Riku when he was with someone as amazing as Rox? He was selfish, so selfish. He thought of no one but himself. Roxas held him tightly, making soft soothing motions with his hands against the brunette's back and whispering sweet nothings in his ear. Almost as if on cue the bell rang to signal the end of lunch and for students to begin making their way back to class. Sora lifted his head, looking out across the school yard towards Demyx, Zexion, Kurei, and Yuffie, who were in turn looking towards him and Roxas. The brunette looked back at the blonde when the older reached over and wiped Sora's cheeks affectionately, hugging him before taking his hand and leading him back towards the others. "Did you have anything to eat?"

Blinking in realization, the other shook his head. "I didn't feel like it…" His stomach growled in argument, Roxas looking back at him and laughing softly.

"I saved you a sandwich and an apple. You like the yellow ones right?"

"Yeah, those are my favorite." Sora sniffed, feeling another wave of guilty tears coming on. Roxas was so thoughtful, he hadn't forgotten about him at all. He squeezed his boyfriends hand lightly, allowing the taller to walk him across the field to where their friends were waiting for them. Already it seemed like the sun was shining brighter. Roxas had forgiven him, Riku hadn't been mad in the first place, and the issue was done and over with. Now, if only he could keep his thoughts in order the rest of the day would turn out fine. He only hoped his sunlight wasn't darkened by any abnormal rain clouds, covering up the scarce rays of light deep inside his heart.

-x-x-x-

Demyx and Zexion walked back first once Sora and Roxas joined them. Yuffie and Kurei lingered behind, talking to the spiky haired brunette who was smiling if not laughing, and Roxas who was holding onto his hand protectively; Sora's ever-present anchor. "It's good that they're not fighting; I wonder what was up with Sora earlier." Demyx whispered to his companion. "He should have known he could come and sit with us at lunch."

Zexion shrugged, "You know how Sora is; he's always off by himself when he's not hanging out with Roxas or Tasogare. They usually eat lunch over there."

"Yeah but I mean, he's our friend too you know, it's not like we're just friends with Roxas."

"I know that, but you also have to understand everything Sora's been through." Zexion replied, slate eyes looking over his shoulder at the others walking behind them a ways down the hallway. "For him, laughter isn't as easy come as yours and mine. Show some compassion."

Demyx sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It's just, I mean, after all this time I figured he would have lightened up a bit. Roxas really has pried him out of his shell though."

"And with Riku back as well, maybe we'll finally be able to see the 'Yuffie' side of Sora!" Yuffie whispered happily, peeking in between the two boys.

They both let out loud exclamations, Zexion stepping away and Demyx throwing up his arms and falling, sending the dark haired girl and silver headed boy into a fit of laughter.

Kurei, Roxas, and Sora walked up a moment later, Zexion helping Demyx to his feet. "You! Have to! Stop! Doing that!" Demyx managed loudly between pants. "I thought my heart was gonna explode!"

Yuffie locked her hands behind her back, walking away innocently. "You boys are just jealous of my sneaking abilities!"

Demyx rolled his eyes and Zexion coughed to cover up an amused laugh. "Let's talk about this more later." The dark blonde whispered to his friend, then a bit louder added, "When that frickin' kid isn't around to ninja our asses."

" _What_ did you just say about someone being a _kid_?" Yuffie screeched, running after a laughing Demyx as he took off down the hallway, dodging past unknowing bystanders. He could hear the others behind him and their fading laughter, Zexion calling after him not to be late for class. He didn't care about class at the moment, all he cared about was getting away from a pissed off Yuffie! _Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned._

-xxxo0:O:0oxx-

Riku was fading into a light sleep about the time that Axel shifted into a different position, waking the other out of his drowsy state, the younger brushing fingertips across the other's chest in question. It was such a soft feeling that Axel couldn't help but shudder at the touch, tingling coursing from his shoulders down his spine. "I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

"Hn, wasn't asleep." Riku whispered in return, pressing deeper into Axel, seeking out his warmth. "Are you uncomfortable?" He asked, realizing how close he was to the other, backing away a bit even though he had moved closer just moments before.

"No, I'm fine." The red head replied, pulling Riku back against him gently. "You didn't have to move, I was just adjusting in case I ended up falling asleep."

"Oh," Riku whispered sleepily, "I see…"

Axel's eyes softened, smiling down gently at the other, reaching up to run his hands through Riku's hair and coax the other back into sleep. He loved being able to lay here, holding him, and not having to worry about touching or not touching him. Here, pressed against Riku like this, with the other more than readily accepting his presence, was calming and intimate in a way he hadn't imagined possible while still clothed. Well, partially so; he did have his shirt off, but that wasn't really saying much considering. Riku didn't seem to mind Axel touching him either; his mind going back to that brief moment of pleasure he had managed to entice out of those sweet lips when Axel had bit his ear. Something warm beginning to pulse in his chest and threaten to go downwards made him stop his thoughts. He couldn't get turned on from thinking something like that, not when a mere few inches were all that separated the two from feeling _everything_ the other had to offer. He blushed lightly, running the scenario of a turned on Axel and a curious Riku through his head. Something along the lines of, ' _Axel, what's that?_ ', accompanied by a wandering hand.

He trembled at Riku's light touch when the boy reached up to take Axel's hand from his hair, coming out of his daydreams and watching the younger interlace their fingers, a shy smile playing over the blind boy's lips. "What are you thinking about?" he asked softly, searching the darkness beside him, "Your skin is getting hot."

Blushing a bit more, a playful smile coming to his face, Axel replied with teasing in his voice, "I'm thinking about you of course."

Riku's grin turned playful as well, eyes searching but never seeing as he squeezed Axel's fingers with his own. "Oh really? And what activities are you imagining us being engaged in?"

Axel bit back a response and laughed instead. _God Riku you have no idea how much you're tempting me; smiling the way you are, looking up at me, lying like this on my bed…_ "You caught me 'hot chest'-ed; I admit defeat." Axel replied with a playful sigh, raising his hands and Riku's as well. "Do with me what you will."

Riku laughed in turn, "What, was that supposed to be like 'you caught me red handed'?" He tisked lightly. "You can't even come up with your own material." He teased, then added dramatically, "The shame!"

"If you didn't look so comfortable I'd tickle you." Axel retorted, lowering his hand and slipping it out of Riku's grasp, touching the younger boy's cheek and brushing the bangs away from his eyes. "You're so beautiful." Axel whispered unconsciously, the words ringing in Riku's ears as his cheeks flushed crimson. Seeing Riku's reaction and realizing he had heard those words, the red head blushed lightly as well but continued to trace the younger's cheek gently, barely brushing against his scar. "I remember the first time I tried to do this you pulled away. It doesn't bother you?" He asked softly, watching the emotions playing out on Riku's face.

"No," he breathed lightly, "I actually kind of like it. You're so soft…I didn't think anyone would ever touch me there that way. I mean, when I think of my scar, I feel so ugly. That's why I try to hide it." Axel watched the emotions on Riku's face change from embarrassed to sad to a light sort of happiness. "I think that last night at the park was the first time I've ever been out in public not wearing my sunglasses that I can remember since I had the accident." A hand ghosted up Axel's chest, touching his neck and moving upwards lightly. "It was because I was with you I think, and you had said you liked it better without, so you could read my emotions." His eyebrows arched in question. "Am I that easy to read without them?"

The red head shook his head, Riku feeling the movement from the muscles twisting in Axel's neck. "It's not that at all, I guess I just find people in general easy to read. I like to know who I'm dealing with and what they're thinking so I know when I need to stop. Being able to read people has saved my ass many a time. As you have probably picked up on I can be rather rude when I'm being playful; like yesterday when I was talking about Naminé being hot. It's not that I'm trying to be an ass or anything, Dem and Zex and I just like to play around like that. I knew that it bothered you a bit though, so I stopped talking about it once you sounded like you were being defensive."

Riku nodded in understanding. "I lack that ability almost entirely, since I cannot see what people are doing or the faces they are making, but I can pick up a lot in the way people speak. Something about the way people talk gives away their true meanings, like when someone's hiding jealousy, or lying. Other emotions are obvious, like happiness and anger." He reached up a bit more, touching Axel's chin and coming to rest with two fingers pressed lightly to Axel's bottom lip. "But when I look at people through touch, it's almost like I can see again. My hands touch and my ears hear what my eyes cannot see, and my heart feels all of these and filters it in through my mind, creating an image." He reached up his other hand as well, lying on his side with his head against a pillow, touching the older boy's cheeks lightly. Axel watched him quietly, marveling at the feel of skin against skin. Riku's hands moved from his cheeks to his nose and up the bone there to above Axel's eyes in a slow arch. He smoothed down eyebrows and brushed across his forehead, one of his hands passing through the others fiery red hair, then coming back down and resting on his ear. The other mirrored it and met his ear on the opposite side of his face. Both continued down his cheeks and around his mouth, touching his lips fleetingly, then touching down his neck and back to his chest. "What color are your eyes?" He asked softly, rubbing circles with his thumbs at the center of the older's chest, searching the darkness and holding the image he had of Axel in his mind.

"Green," Axel replied, "and I have red hair."

_Just like when I thought I saw him at the concert…_

Riku smiled. "I can see it. Not in a way you would consider it seeing, but I know you now." He sighed happily. "Even if my ears were to fail me, and all else except touch remained, I would still know you. I have you memorized, right here." The blind boy said happily, pressing flattened palms to Axel's chest. "There's no escaping me now!" he teased.

"I'm glad you can see me." Axel whispered, a sudden pain clenching his heart, like the feeling one has right before they start to cry. _I wish you really could_ see _me though…_ The older boy thought sadly, reaching over and wrapping strong arms around the younger's smaller frame.

Riku blinked in silent surprise then relaxed into the embrace, his arm wrapping around Axel's side and dancing along his spine lightly, the other still pressed to his chest. They rested like that for a while, forgetting all else but one another and fading back into sleep.

-x-x-x-

A slight vibration coming in a series of short bursts brought Axel into awareness, the boy pulling his phone from his pocket. It was a text from Demyx.

/ _Dem:: Still in school, we doin n e thing after?_ /

/ Ax:: Thinking about arcade. We like? /

/ _Dem::_ _Hellz ya, I'll tell Z!_ /

/ Ax:: Mmm'k, ttyl. /

Axel smiled and shook his head lightly, then right as he was about to shove his phone back in his pocket it vibrated again.

/ _Dem:: Is Riku coming 2?_ /

Axel looked down at the boy pressed against his chest, an arm thrown over his waist, sleeping lightly.

/ Ax:: Yes. Ask the others if they wanna come? /

/ _Dem:: K, np, ttyl._ /

Slipping his phone back in his pocket, then turning back to Riku he smiled down at the younger. Pulling him closer gently he leaned in, daring to brush his lips against the other's forehead in a soft kiss, and then pressing his cheek there as if to hide the contact. Riku made a soft sound and curled against Axel tighter, the hand wrapped around the older pulling them fully against one another. A blush highlighted the older's cheeks; they were so close now that he could feel Riku's heartbeat, his chest rise and fall with each breath, a slip of skin against skin where their bellies touched, their hips pressed together lightly. _I want to kiss him._ Axel whispered inwardly. The emotion was so strong so suddenly he practically moved to commit the act. _I want to kiss him so badly right now…but I…_ He turned away, biting his pillow lightly to keep from letting out a frustrated growl. A moment later he was fine, letting out a sigh, returning to press his cheek to Riku's forehead as if nothing had ever happened. Not that anything had…but the thought was still heavy in the air. Once again, like earlier when they had been downstairs and he had to rush to the kitchen, the thought ran through his mind; _Why can't I control this? I want him so badly I'm almost desperate; it's like I need him more than I need the air I breathe…_

Axel slipped out from underneath Riku's arm, laying it down gently after he had moved back. Leaving the younger to his dreaming the red head walked across the room and opened the side door leading from his room to the adjacent smaller one, filled to the brim with all his guitars. Grabbing his blue Gibson and finding his string kit he pulled them out of the mess and back into his room, glanced over at Riku to see that he was still asleep, then walked across his room and opened the door quietly. He stepped through, careful not to make any noise, then shut the door behind him and walked off down the hallway to a room a few doors down.

Opening the sliding doors he stepped into the room and shut them behind him, treading lightly down the two steps leading to the carpet and walked across the room, seating himself on one of the loveseats stationed there. A grand piano took center spotlight to the left of him, facing out into the sun where the skylights let in the daylight and curtain-less balcony windows overlooked their garden, flowers in full bloom for probably one of the last times of the season. Fall was always quick to come it seemed like, and winter even quicker after. But for the moment the birds were still singing, the fountains still flowing, the roses still blooming around their little castle.

It was pretty, but hollow.

No matter how much beauty their parents tried to fill and surround their home with; it was still ugly and empty. There wasn't much Axel could do to brighten up the atmosphere in the large room except finish stringing his guitar, hook it up to a nearby amp, and start to play. He liked to play in the piano room because of the way the guitar seemed to echo off of the cathedral ceilings; it was like having his own little mix though he was the only one who was playing. He took a new string from his box, wrapping it around where it needed to be and tuning it as he tightened it up, then taking some scissors from the string box and cutting the excess from the end. Placing everything aside he strummed a few chords, making sure everything was in tune, then began to play.

Strumming lightly at first, trying to find something he wanted to express, he thought about the one thing that he had wanted lately that he just seemed not to be getting at all. Smiling, he changed his tune, getting faster, harder, and began to sing.

" _I want a girl with lips like morphine  
Knock me out every time they touch me  
I wanna feel a kiss just…crush me…  
And break me…down…_"

The guitar echoed in the room, his voice strong and powerful, emotions welling up inside him, his words echoing as he sang:

" _Knock me out  
!Knock me…out!  
Cuz' I've waited for all my life,  
To be here with you, tonight!_"

Riku shifted in bed, reaching out for a warmth that was no longer there, but still evident of its presence on the sheets his hand pressed against. "Axel?" he whispered, reaching further and finding no one, rolling onto his back and letting out a pleasant sleepy sigh. He lay there a moment, waking up, before music reached his ears. He recognized Axel's voice coming softly down the hallway from behind the closed door and moved to sit up on the edge of the bed, rubbing his eyes and standing up slowly. Touching the wall, dresser, chair, and then doorknob he navigated through the other's room, opening the door and following the guitar and voice down the hallway, hand brushing along the wall as he listened silently. As he came nearer he realized the prowess behind Axel's voice, and the power hidden there.

" _I want a girl with lips like morphine  
Blow a kiss that leaves me gasping  
And I wanna feel that lightning…strike me  
And burn me down…_"

He pressed his back against the wall outside of the room Axel was in, standing there and listening, his heart beginning to pound as he listened to what the boy was singing.

" _Knock me out!  
Knock me…out!  
Cuz' I've waited for all my life,  
To be here with you, tonight!  
Just put me on my back,  
Knock me out again…_"

Axel sighed lightly, strumming getting softer, words light as he almost whispered;

" _I want a girl with lips like morphine,_  
 _Knock me out every time they touch me  
I want a girl with lips like…morphine…_"

Closing his eyes he suddenly swapped back, emotions swelling up in him, pouring out as if it were his very soul he was screaming out to the world.

" _To knock me – out!"_

Riku had never heard something so possessive, so powerful. It was like Axel was singing to him; like _he_ was Axel's girl. He blushed lightly, thinking to himself that idea wasn't an unpleasant one at all. Well, maybe the girl part, but for him to be Axel's…

" _See I've waited for all my life  
_ _To be here with you tonight!_  
Just put me on my back,  
Knock me out again…" **(2)**

The blind boy moved, sliding his hand against the door and finding it gave way all too late to prevent himself from falling down the two steps from the hallway into the piano room. He yelped as gravity took over and he crashed to the floor, blinking up at nothing from where he lay flat on his back. Axel's eyes flew open at the noise, putting his guitar to the side and quickly going to Riku's side. "Are you okay?" he asked, going down to his knees beside the boy.

Riku blinked a few times then burst out laughing, "I'm fine, I just didn't realize the door was going to move like that."

Axel smiled down at him, "Sliding doors and decorative steps: you can blame them on my mother."

The blonde was laughing again, tears coming to the corners of his eyes. He lay there for a moment, just content to laugh at himself, before he finally let out a long breath and opened his eyes. He caught Axel in his dead glance, lingering there and drawing the older in from where he was on his knees above and to the side of Riku. The younger's legs were propped up slightly from where they rested against the bottom step, his arms thrown out to the sides in what had been an effort to right himself, eyes dancing in entertainment. The red head's breath caught in his throat. _So perfect…_

Moving before he had time to think twice about it Axel leaned down and pressed his lips to the younger's. Riku's eyes went wide when he realized what Axel was doing, surprise forcing him to gasp, arm reaching up to grab Axel's leg in reflex and fisting his hand in the fabric of his jeans. _Axel? He's…he's…_ Blushing furiously as Axel's lips moved against his gently, pressing into him a bit deeper, Riku closed his eyes and kissed him back. He didn't know what was happening, but he knew he liked it. He didn't want Axel to stop.

Axel almost melted when Riku began kissing him back, lips unsure and inexperienced, but he knew how to lead. He reached up and placed a hand next to Riku's shoulder, tilting his head lightly and kissing the younger deeper. _Oh god Riku I can't believe you're letting me do this…_ Biting the blonde's lip gently, earning a gasp from the younger, Axel dared to flick his tongue across Riku's lips. The blind boy's blush had been momentarily fading but came back full-force at that touch, a small sound of want leaving the back of his throat, sending a shudder through Axel. Before he could go any further be pulled back, taking in a breath, pulling their lips slowly apart. Riku was looking up at him, panting lightly, his cheeks crimson. Axel, blushing as well, moved his hand to brush against one of those flaming cheeks, asking huskily, "Is this okay?"

Heat was coursing through Riku, from the tip of his nose through his face and ears, down his neck, burning in his chest and then somewhere lower, deeper. He'd never been so turned on in his life, and at the same time he had never been so unsure. He wanted this, more than anything he did; he knew that for sure. Nodding, slow but certain, he reached up to rest his hand against Axel's arm, feeling the other move to lean down to him; warm, wet lips pressing back against his in relief. If the first kiss had been unexpected and somewhat withdrawn, it was nothing compared to this one. The older boy captured his lips gently, reaching the hand Riku was touching up to the boy's neck, holding him softly as he kissed him, long and deep. He was a man dying of thirst and only Riku could cure him. Eyes fluttering closed Riku arched into Axel's touch, another gasp escaping him, the older taking the opportunity to slip his tongue into the younger's mouth, their tongues touching for the first time. It sent a wave of electricity through them both, trembling lightly at one another's touches, Riku reaching up to Axel's shoulder and pulling the other down to him. He wanted more, and Axel was more than willing to give.

There was something about the 'Mario Theme Song' that broke the mood though as it chimed loudly from within Axel's pocket. _I'm going to_ kill _Demyx…_ Axel thought to himself, pulling away from Riku slowly, searching the other's expressions. Riku was panting softly again, eyes half lidded, hand holding onto the other's arm as if to make sure they were both still there, that this was really happening. His phone continued to ring, Axel retrieving it from his pocket and answering it in exasperation. "What Demyx?"

" _Dude!_ " The perky boy said from the other end of the phone, the sound of people talking, sneakers squeaking, and lockers slamming coming in through the speakers along with his chipper voice." _We're out of school man! Me and Zex are gonna head over to the arcade, I think the others are going to meet us there or something, Yuffie was going to finish homework and Kurei was gonna check up on Taso and Kairi I think. You and Riku heading over?_ " He asked, saying something to someone as they passed him in the hallway, then added, " _Ready to get your ass handed to you at D.D.R.?_ "

"Sure, sure, we'll meet you all there." Axel replied, a sweatdrop popping up on the side of his head as he chibified and let out a sigh.

" _You alright Ax? You sound like you're out of breath!_ "

Blushing lightly, Axel replied, "I'm gonna hang up and go throw on some clothes for the mall, we'll meet you there; half an hour."

" _Ooooh, so you're out of breath and you have to go put some clooooothes on!_ " He made a whistling sound, Zexion laughing in the background. " _Rrrowrr!_ " He fake-growled.

"Bye Dem." Axel said, sweatdrop replaced with an anger mark as he hung up the phone, putting it back in his pocket and looking down at Riku. The boy was laying there beneath him, blushing lightly. The older boy's eyes softened and he leaned down, pressing a kiss to his cheek gently. "Come on, you ready to get up?"

"Y-yeah." Riku replied, taking Axel's hand, the other getting up then pulling Riku up beside him, placing an arm around his waist when the younger staggered a bit.

The red head pulled the boy against him gently, wrapping his arms around Riku's waist and back, whispering, "You know I would never do anything you didn't want me to do, right?" Riku moved his head up a bit, nodding against Axel's bare chest, fingertips light against the other's back. "It's okay that I kissed you?" Burying his face against Axel's chest, Riku made an affirming noise. He was embarrassed, but it was true. He had liked it, he had been okay with it, and he had been left wanting more. "Good…" the older boy whispered, "I thought so, I just wanted to make sure." He smiled lightly, "Wasn't too bad for your second kiss was it?"

Riku pulled away lightly, looking up towards where he knew Axel was looking down at him. "N-no, not at all. I liked it a lot…" He blushed lightly, looking back down. "Was I…was I any good?"

Eyes softening, Axel brought his hand from Riku's back to his shoulder, then his chin, tilting his face back up and kissing him. Parting a moment later, the boy whispered, "You're amazing Riku. Never doubt yourself. What you don't know I am more than willing to teach you, but you have nothing to worry about. You're a natural."

Smiling shyly Riku looked away but didn't move from where Axel held his face gently in his hand. "I'm glad…I was kind of worried I wouldn't be."

Chuckling lightly, Axel lowered his hand, pressing a kiss to the blonde's forehead, then pulling away and walking towards the door, tugging on Riku's hand. "Be careful when you step this time, okay?"

Riku nodded, following after his guardian, out of the room and back down the hallway to Axel's bedroom. The whole time they were walking Axel seemed to hold his hand a bit differently, or maybe it was just that Riku was paying more attention than he had before. Axel had kissed him, and he had liked it…and he wanted to do it again. Every move Axel made, every touch they shared, caught him on fire. He had never felt anything like this before, had never had the desire to be with anyone, kiss anyone, or feel for anyone like he did for Axel. Squeezing the other's hand tightly he followed after him in complete trust, not knowing what the future was going to bring but knowing that he wanted to share it with Axel. They entered the older boy's bedroom, crossed to the bed, and sat down on the edge, still holding hands. "What…" Riku started, Axel looking over at the boy, "…Axel, what are we?"

Axel searched Riku's expression. "What do you want us to be?"

Riku shook his head, blushing lightly. "I-I don't know…"

Suddenly the older boy had reached over and put a hand behind Riku's neck, pulling the younger into him and he kissed him again, the other hand pushing back the blind boy's long hair and cupping his cheek. Trembling lightly the younger returned the kiss, moaning lightly at the power the kiss held, almost letting out a whimper when Axel pulled away. "What do you want?" He asked softly, thumb rubbing Riku's cheek soothingly.

"I…I want to be with you." the other admitted, blush reddening his cheeks once again.

"Then you will be with me." Axel replied, smiling at the blonde, a gentle laughter in his voice. "As a friend, as a boyfriend, as whatever you want or need me to be. I will be here for you, always." He stood up from the bed, the hand pressed to Riku's cheek lingering there for a moment before he moved away. "For right now, I think we should worry about getting dressed and meeting the others at the mall." He opened his closet, digging through his clothes and pulling out various assortments. "What we have between us will grow with time, I realize that we barely know one another, but I feel so strongly for you I want to be with you no matter what. I know now that you must feel that too."

"It's uncanny isn't it?" Riku asked softly, "That we're this drawn to one another. You would think that we have known one another for years." Axel made a sound of agreement, tossing various clothes from the closet as if anything he ever looked for was always in the very back. "But…I mean…are we…together now?"

Axel, triumphantly holding a shirt before him, turned to look at Riku, pulling the garment over his head then walking over to the boy. He took his hand, holding it tightly, and asked, "Do you want us to have a title? Do you want us to be dating? Or for us to wait and see where this goes?"

"No, I mean, I want to be with you Axel." He said softly, "But I mean…what will people say?"

"Oh, I see." Axel replied with understanding in his voice, "You want to know what would be happening in public? Is that it? Who it would be okay to be close like this around?" Riku nodded. "All of our friends will accept it completely, people around town always have an opinion I guess but most keep it to themselves. There are people who think relationships involving boys being with other boys and girls being with other girls are wrong, and will let you know what they think of you, but you just have to let it roll off of your shoulder if anything like that ever happens. I highly doubt, Dashilaw is a big city with lots of stranger couples than same-sexed ones, but you never know." He watched the emotions playing out on Riku's features. "And you have to remember that I will always be there for you, and protect you Riku, whether we're just friends or not. I like you too, and I want to be with you, but please understand that if you just want to test drive this before you commit to a serious relationship with me I completely understand."

Riku nodded, acknowledging that fact, then asked, "But if we were together, would you kiss me in front of people?"

"Only if that was okay with you." Axel replied, "Which it probably wouldn't be at first, and I totally understand that." He smiled, saying teasingly, "Besides, I get to hold your hand wherever we go. No one can say anything about that."

Riku returned his smile, hearing the laughter in the red head's voice. "That's true. They can't can they…" Still unsure of quite what was going on, whether he wanted to hold back or press forward, call it what it was or wait to be sure, Riku leaned in and pressed his forehead to Axel's shoulder. "I want to be with you." He whispered. "I don't know what that means, but I want to be with you Axel. Always."

Wrapping his arms around the smaller, Axel closed his eyes and sighed. Riku meant so much to him, he wouldn't press him into anything he didn't want to do; he wouldn't ask him out just yet. Not that he thought the other would refuse, but because all of this was happening all at once. He didn't want to rush it. He wanted it to last forever. Pulse's thrumming against one another's, hearts beating almost in time, they held one another. Riku, nor Axel, knew what the future would bring but they were willing to face it, all of the hardships and the good times. They would make it through; they would be able to no matter what, because they would be in it with each other.

Together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1)Nirvana is this really cool hippie/Buddhist shop that sells tye-dyed clothes and incense and things.
> 
> (2)Lyrics are Lips Like Morphine by Kill Hannah.


	11. Kaleidoscopic

Cloud was asleep by the time Zack got back from class, curled up on the couch under a blanket, a bag of chips and the remote laying on the table beside him. The television was murmuring quietly, flashing different colored light onto the sleeping blonde, breathing deeply in slumber. Amethyst eyes softened, the dark haired boy letting his backpack slide off of his shoulder and setting down the books in his hands, slipping off his shoes before walking over to the couch. Carefully the older boy slid an arm around Cloud's back and under his knees, picking him up gently. The younger boy blinked open his eyes, arms wrapping around Zack's neck, asking sleepily, "What cha' doing?"

"I'm taking you to bed." Zack whispered back, crossing the carpet on socked feet, moving sideways through the doorframe and stepping into his room. The blonde was smiling softly against his chest, long lashes brushing blushing cheeks, gasping lightly as Zack laid him down on dark sheets and crawled over him seductively. "Zack…" he whispered, the older boy tilting his head and kissing his neck, "…how was…mmm…"

"Class was fine," he replied with a smile, moving back to search Cloud's azure eyes, "I saw that you found my chip stash."

Chuckling lightly, Cloud pulled Zack back down to him, locking their lips in a deep kiss. "Missed you." He said as they parted, the dark-headed boy reaching up and cupping the blonde's cheek.

"Missed you too," he said teasingly, "for the excruciatingly long period of four hours I was gone." Cloud let a pout cross his lips, looking up at Zack with shimmering eyes. The other laughed, violet eyes dancing. "I was playing, pet; I missed you too, really."

"Pet?" Cloud asked, pulling Zack's long hair gently.

"Hn, you don't like it?" the older asked playfully.

Cloud tilted his head lightly. "No, it's not that at all. I kind of like the idea of being owned by you." A mischievous grin crossed his lips. "You'll have to buy me a collar."

A visible shudder passed through the darker boy, possessiveness flickering in his eyes. "You have no idea how into that I am, Cloud. Don't tempt me."

Blushing, Cloud asked, "You're into that sort of thing?"

A smile appeared across Zack's face. "Have you ever tried it?"

"N-no…" the younger said, trying to imagine what it might be like; Zack holding him down and taking him hard and fast; blindfolded, bound, collared. Blood rushed furiously to his face. It was hot. He didn't know if it was something he'd be okay with trying at first, but the idea was an interesting one nonetheless…and if it was with Zack then… "How…into it are you?"

"You mean how hardcore?" the older asked. "Bondage, biting, maybe a little spanking now and then; not full blown BDSM but similar. I don't like whips or chains, though hot candle wax can be nice if you know how to use it properly; it's easy to get burned."

"Who…?" Cloud asked, amazed at this revelation. He had heard about this sort of thing from friends before, but he had never dreamt of trying that sort of relationship himself. Not that he thought that was the kind of relationship he and Zack would have; but it was still an option to play around with. An experimentation he would like to divulge in sometime or another. It stirred something devious inside of him, sending nice little shivers down his spine.

Zack looked at him questioningly, "You mean, who have I done those things with before?" Cloud looked away, still blushing, Zack leaning in and pressing kisses to his throat and shoulder. "When Seph and I got into a more serious relationship he taught me some things I didn't know before, but I've been involved in relations like that for a while now." He backed up a bit, lying down beside Cloud, propping himself up on his elbows. "Does it interest you?"

"I don't know for sure. I would be open to trying it though." Cloud replied, Zack smiling at him.

"That's good. I'm glad it doesn't bother you. Some guys think that kind of lifestyle is a bit extreme, but if you weren't into it or didn't want to try it we wouldn't have to." He reached over, trailing his fingers across Cloud's chest. "It can be really fun, if you ever decide to give it a go."

Pink highlighted the blonde's cheeks. "I'd like to, with you, but I'm not exactly experienced on the matter."

"Not many people are." Zack replied, "It's a rather underground practice."

Cloud shook his head, blush still highlighting his cheeks. "No, I mean, in general…"

Zack looked at him quizzically then blinked in realization. "You're a virgin?"

"Oh well don't sound so shocked," Cloud replied shyly, "Is it really that big of a surprise?"

The dark haired boy leaned in and kissed the younger, searching his eyes as he pulled away. "No, I just hadn't realized is all." A smile curved his lips, soft and teasing. "So I would be your first?"

If Cloud's blush could have gotten any deeper it tripled. He looked like he was about to pass out from too much blood rushing to his head all at once. "I-I…you…my first?"

"You are so cute." Zack whispered, kissing him again, taking Cloud's mind off of what may or may not happen in the future and turning it to what was happening right now. The blonde fretted for a moment longer before giving in to his desires, closing his eyes and reaching up to pull Zack down to him. He liked the idea of having sex with Zack, though the thought did make him very nervous; he assumed that meant he just wasn't quite ready yet. The time would come when the idea felt right for him and that's when it would happen. Not now, not yet, but kissing was certainly in the ballpark.

A moan escaped his throat as Zack pulled away a bit, lips lingering on his lover's. Cloud was looking up at him affectionately, blonde spikes in perfect disarray over cloudy blue eyes. "What is it?" Cloud asked softly, reaching up to touch the older boy's cheek.

"I want to touch you." The boy replied, searching the other's eyes. Cloud blushed, searching his in turn, embarrassed but not breaking eye contact with Zack. "I don't want to overstep my boundaries." The older whispered.

Cloud shook his head lightly; azure irises captured by violet, and whispered, "You won't."

Those two words giving Zack the permission he had asked for, the older boy pressed his lips back to the blonde's, Cloud relaxing at his touch. Touching, biting, tasting; they kissed tenderly, Zack's hands wandering over Cloud's wanting body. He pulled up the edge of the blonde's shirt, tracing fingertips against the younger boy's stomach and side. It sent pleasant shivers down Cloud's spine, his whole body catching fire at Zack's touch. The older pulled his lips from the blonde's, tilting the boy's head to the side and kissing down his neck while his other hand slid up under Cloud's shirt. His fingers danced along the younger boy's ribcage then chest, lips latching onto the curve of Cloud's neck and sucking gently. Whimpering lightly beneath Zack's skilled hands, the lighter boy arched his back, letting the dark-haired boy pull his shirt up and off then wrapping his arms around Zack's neck. The older knelt before him, tossing the shirt to the floor, then crawled back over him; reattaching their lips. He moved against the boy beneath him gently, careful of where he put his hands but exploring nonetheless. Cloud had given him permission; he knew if he went too far the blonde would tell him to stop. He knew that Cloud trusted him. He wanted nothing more than to please the boy before him; he would do anything for him, even go at a slower pace than he was accustomed to. After all the time he had been with Sephiroth he wasn't used to having to take it slow but he was enjoying it far more than he had thought he would. He liked it; starting over, teaching things, sharing new experiences together. He loved the idea of being Cloud's first too. It lit something inside him on fire, pulsing through him to the beat of his heart. Was he falling in love again already? Seph had wounded him so deeply…

Cloud let out a small sound of want as Zack kissed him deeper, hands wrapped around the older boy's with his fingers tangled in his dark hair. He wanted this so badly, needed it almost; he couldn't get enough of it no matter how many times they parted for breath then connected again. "Zack!" he gasped as the older boy tilted his head and bit Cloud's neck gently, an entirely new sensation shuddering through the blonde boy's frame and sending heat coursing through him like lightning. The dark headed boy pulled back gently, Cloud laying there in his arms panting like there wasn't quite enough air to breathe, turned away so that his neck was still bared.

"You okay?" the older asked gently, brushing his hand over the other's chest gently, nuzzling the place on Cloud's neck where he had bitten him. The younger made a sound of agreement deep in the back of his throat, turning to catch Zack's eyes. Amethyst eyes softened; he leaned in and pressed his lips to the blonde's, then whispered, "Can I touch you?"

Cloud searched Zack's eyes slowly, thinking over the request in his mind, wondering what it would entail. It was more than what had happened so far if Zack was again making sure it was alright to proceed, but Cloud trusted Zack more than he had ever trusted anyone else. He was okay with going a bit further. Shakily, the boy nodded his consent. He took a breath, calming his racing nerves, and then met lips with the boy above him. The older boy's eyes softened, kissing Cloud passionately as his hand trailed downward, inch by inch wandering closer to his waistline. Blushing crimson, Cloud didn't even think about stopping him, but kissed the older a bit more fervently; trying to still his pounding heart. This was just foreplay, they weren't going to have sex; this was just a bit of fun… He forced every tense muscle in his body to uncoil and relax at Zack's touch. Zack would never hurt him; Zack would stop if he wanted him to. He trusted him.

The older boy watched Cloud's expression carefully; making sure it wasn't just a verbal assent, but that he truly meant it. When he felt the boy relax into his hands he continued, dipping his fingers below Cloud's jeans, brushing against boxers fleetingly before pulling away again. "Have you ever…?"

"No…" Cloud whispered, blushing slightly, watching Zack's movements with trust in his eyes.

Zack nodded slightly, as if in understanding, then leaned down and began kissing the younger boy's shoulders as his hands flitted across his waist. It was a light, warm feeling. Cloud closed his eyes, giving into Zack's prowess, nimble fingers unbuttoning Cloud's jeans and sliding them down his hips slightly. That newly revealed strip of flesh caught the older boy's attention, pulling his lips away from Cloud's chest to travel down to his abdomen, ghosting kisses around the boy's bellybutton. A light path of blonde hair trailed from below his bellybutton to disappear beneath his boxers, Zack following its course with dark eyes, the boy underneath him panting lightly. A smile teased the older boy's lips. He loved the intimate reactions he was getting from Cloud; his breathing, the way his skin felt so hot, and especially those little moans that kept escaping every now and then. Zack hadn't even touched him yet! Eyes shimmering with mischief and excitement, the older boy hooked two fingers into the waistband of Cloud's boxers and began pulling them down slowly. This was certainly going to be interesting.

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

Kurei checked his phone for the fourth time; still no new texts, messages, or missed calls from Tasogare. That meant she was in a place with no signal; she always answered him when he tried to get a hold of her. No signal meant she was at the library. With school out and nothing else planned except meeting the others at the arcade after a while, the purple-haired boy took off towards the parking lot. He'd go see her, figure out what she was up to. It wasn't like her to leave Kairi at the house by herself, let alone after everything that had happened the night before. Something was going on. He weaved around a few talking students before spotting his teal convertible in the back of the lot, tossing his backpack in the passenger's seat and taking his place behind the wheel. He sat there a moment, laying back his head and letting his golden eyes survey the clouds drifting lazily in the sky above him. She was his best friend, Tasogare was. He would do anything for her, they had known one another for such a long time, and still it seemed she would rather turn for help among her ghosts and books than talk to him about what was going on in her head. Her heart was closed to him, it always would be. Ever since Shiloh had died…

Kurei sat up and shook his head, clearing his thoughts, and then turned the key in the ignition. He looked over his shoulder he backed up slowly; making sure to avoid anyone passing behind him, then drove off in the direction of the library. The streets were crowded from all the kids who had just gotten out of school, the traffic making the drive slow though the library wasn't too far away. It gave Kurei time to think about things, like how he might coax Tasogare into talking to him about what was going on. With all that had happened with Kairi and Naminé, Kurei knew Taso well enough to know she must be blaming herself and was somehow looking for a way to right what had gone wrong. Tasogare practiced metaphysical things though she hid it well, confining herself to her books and letting the spirits around her seem to go unnoticed. She had revealed to Kurei that she still saw Shiloh sometimes at the library and that she could talk to him like she talked to Kurei; he was real to her, not just some figment of her imagination. Shiloh was actually there. When she and Kurei were younger she would talk about Shiloh a lot, she was very open about it, and began to practice witchcraft and delve into the astral realm. She had always been really interested in other religions but kept going back to magic; it was a way to tie her to his world; her older brother's world.

Shiloh had died when they had been children, there was nothing Taso could have done to save him from what had happened, but she took to her books and searched for mystic ways to reverse events that had already happened; to cheat death. It never worked, no matter how hard she tried; she was never able to bring back Shiloh. She kept practicing, kept learning, and though she had never been able to revive her brother his spirit stayed with her. He began to follow her, he was with her everywhere she went, and she talked to him all the time whether people were watching or not. Kurei would watch her; too afraid to talk to her though they shared all their classes together during elementary school. " _Don't play with the crazy girl; she talks to herself, she sees ghosts!_ " His schoolmates would chide when he would try to speak to her or go to her at recess, and for the longest time he listened to them. He left Taso alone with her spirits, letting the memories they shared stay in the back of his mind, locked away. Then one day, she saved him.

They were sixth graders; it had been years since he had been close friends with her, back when Shiloh had been alive. He remembered the older boy playing with them; pushing his baby sister on their swing set, racing with Kurei through the woods behind their house, but those times were long over. Even when he found out they had the same classes in middle school too he didn't speak to her, just watched her from a distance. Halfway through the school year in the middle of winter their classes had been let out early before a big storm. The weatherman had predicted it would blow in sometime that night, but as Kurei began walking home snow started to fall. It was gentle at first but quickly became something one didn't want to be caught out in; the wind howling through the bare trees, inches of snow piling up, the billowing white powder making it impossible to see. He had gotten lost somewhere between the school and his house, going blindly in circles, with the temperature dropping drastically as the minutes ticked by. He was going to freeze if he didn't figure out which direction he should be going in soon, his house mere blocks away.

That was when he saw it; a large white wolf. It was walking towards him through the snow, eyes ghost-white, proud and majestic as it marched through the blizzard overtaking the city. It locked eyes with Kurei and stopped in its tracks, waiting for something to happen it seemed. It made no move to come closer to the boy before him; it just stood there fading in and out of the human's sight as the snow-carrying winds blinded his vision. The wolf scared Kurei more than anything else had his entire life. Was it really there? Was he just seeing things? And weren't wolves usually grey or black? Why was there a wolf wandering the city in this kind of weather, and during the day…

Then, he heard something, broken and far away, carried on the winds. Someone was calling his name. The wolf turned to look over its shoulder, a small figure coming up to its side, a little girl. She had mint green curls that barely touched her shoulders, violet eyes shining out of all the white surrounding her, and then suddenly the wolf was gone. She walked towards Kurei, reaching out to take his hand. " _Let's go, it's too cold out to play._ "

He took her hand and she led him out of the whiteout like nothing had ever happened, through all the snow and wind like it wasn't even there. They walked a while, crisscrossing frozen streets and buried cars, until they passed into Kurei's neighborhood and reached his front lawn. By the time they had reached it the blizzard had died down a bit, but was still howling fiercely, the visibility becoming a bit greater than it had been before. The lights of the house shone brightly out onto the glittering snow; a beacon to guide him the last few yards, the lamp on the street corner casting shadows on the two children standing nearby. " _Thank you Tasogare…_ " Kurei had said to her, but the girl had just smiled and shook her head.

" _Shiloh was the one who found you._ " She replied, smiling and letting go of his hand. She waved as she walked off back out into the snow, fading from Kurei's sight.

Since that night they had been best friends, the purple-haired boy learning more and more about the girl, and yet still after all these years of being together he still didn't know everything about her. Around the end of middle school and the beginning of high school strange things started happening; things Kurei couldn't explain. A classmate would fall ill, Tasogare would talk about how she felt badly for them and wished there was something she could do, then a few days later they would miraculously be better. Taso, on the other hand, would come to school looking worn out. The first few times something like that happened Kurei didn't make the connection, but eventually it couldn't go unnoticed, especially when those strange events started happening to him. At the beginning of eighth grade he got into a fight and broke his wrist. Taso took a keen interest in the break; she would hold his hand and stare at his wrist for hours on end, just holding it lightly. It healed a lot quicker than it should have. In the middle of his freshman year he sprained his ankle, it was nearly healed the very next day. Other things, like people bothering him or trying to get into fights with him would just seem to dissolve and eventually stop completely when Taso was around and never resurface again. She was like his guardian in some way even though she was a year younger. They were his silent protectors, her and her dead brother; that ghost-child who took the form of a wolf. Then abruptly everything stopped.

All the metaphysical things going on with Taso just seemed to hit a brick wall; nothing else happened past the end of their freshman year. When he had finally asked her about it she had said that she had locked Shiloh away somewhere safe, that she had tried to do too much all at once, and something bad had happened. A lot of people could have gotten hurt. It scared her, and she didn't want to take that chance again. He remembered her crying about it; holding her face in her hands, hunched over, her curls falling down her shoulders like waves. He sat with her for a long time, listening to things he didn't understand, but knowing that Shiloh was no longer with her. That was when she really started keeping to herself, and visited the library more and more. They were still close friends but there was something different about their relationship now. The magic was gone; that haunting, mysterious unknown that had first brought them back together again. They became ordinary high school students. Instead of talking about spirits and healing hearts they spoke of homework and going to the mall after classes. When they spoke of Shiloh it wasn't because he was nearby watching over them, it was in fond memories of things he and his sister had done together and people she had been able to help because of him. Those thoughts were nothing more than fragments of the past. They barely seemed to have once been real.

Nearly three years had passed and this was the first time Kurei had sensed something was happening again. He thought that feeling had gone away for good; the sense that something was about to happen, something was going on, that there was something he needed to be a part of. It was an excitement, a fear, a jittery sensation fluttering in the back of his stomach constricting his heart and drying his throat. He didn't know what was going on, or why it was happening, but he knew it involved Naminé. It was just a feeling he had.

He pulled into the parking lot by the library, turned off his engine, and pulled his cell phone from his pocket. The library was Tasogare's playground, he wondered briefly if he would be able to find her or if they would miss one another and the girl would leave before he could find her. He sighed, got out of his car, and began walking towards the front doors. If she was here he knew where to look for her, and if not, he was sure she would call him later when she saw he had tried to get a hold of her. For now he would be content to wander the shelves of tomes for a bit in the hopes he might stumble upon her. Maybe, just maybe, he might catch a glimpse of a small white child wandering the aisles as well. Maybe this time, Shiloh could help him find Taso.

-x-x-x-

Tasogare followed Shiloh through a long dark corridor, his radiance lighting their path, her fingers clutched around her key. This was what she had channeled Shiloh's soul into; this was what kept him with her. It was her shield, her comfort, her physical connection to her brother's spirit. Not that he would ever leave her, but it gave her something to hold on to, whereas she could not take hold of his pale, transparent hand. The boy looked over his shoulder at her, watching her with hollow eyes. "Don't hold me so tightly. If I could draw breath I would be choking. What are you so scared of?"

"The last time I was here…"

"That was years ago." Shiloh said, dismissing her thoughts. "You yourself said you were younger then; now you know better, you know what to watch out for." His eyes flickered red-gold, then faded back into white. "I will protect you from that darkness. I am your light."

The girl nodded, relaxing her grip on the small totem, and continuing to follow Shiloh down then hall. Of all her hidden treasures that bound her to her brother's spirit this was by far the one she used the most. She kept it hidden in the place she had grown to love the most; more than school, more than her house, more than the home where she and Shiloh had grown up. In the library she felt the most like her true self; safe amongst ancient texts revealing secrets no one had used in hundreds of years except her. Kurei would come with her to the library every now and then, but he had never gone with her to the depth of the hidden chambers beneath the areas open to the public. The dark hallway opened up into a large room. As Shiloh stepped forward into the veiled room his light illuminated the area, revealing cathedral ceilings with spider webs clinging to the high corners. Dust was piled high atop crumbling bookshelves that lined the walls like towering giants. Several of the shelves had collapsed, the books littering the floor in small piles, mice skittering away from the ghost's light with squeaks of dismay to hide underneath ashen pages.

Taso stepped over them carefully, footsteps echoing loud and foreboding within the ancient hidden chamber. Shiloh watched her silently, allowing his sister time to grow accustomed to surroundings that held some of her most haunting memories. His luminescence cast a soft golden lighting on a series of pedestals before her, each holding a large worm tome, a thick layer of dust encasing each one. Hand trembling slightly, the mint-haired girl reached out and pressed her fingertips to the cover of the largest book, her other hand curled around her key. The book's pages were bound behind large black chains held tight by a steadfast onyx lock. There had been only one key made to open it and reveal the secrets hidden inside and she was the one who carried it. Had it not been for Shiloh she would never have been able to harness its power for the few times she had been successful in doing so, for there had been times when her efforts to help those around her had gone terribly wrong. If it weren't for her older brother's strong spirit and unyielding will to protect the sister he had been separated from all too soon, if it weren't for his help, she would never have even dreamed of doing something like what she was about to do now. Or try to do, at least.

She had attempted to do something like this before, an exorcism of sorts, but it had gone awry and nearly killed her and the other people involved. Since that incident she had put away her spells and refused to unbind this text. With a sigh to still her racing thoughts she lifted her hand, poising the key before the lock, eyes glancing over to catch hold of Shiloh's. He looked at her reassuringly, a half-smile twitching his lips. Things would be different this time, and rest assured, she would do everything within her power to help revive Naminé. As she entered the key she whispered three sacred words, flowing like silk from her lips. " _Advienne que pourra._ " She whispered, a dark light coming from the keyhole and overpowering the light emitting from Shiloh, invading the entire room. The air felt thick as the chains disentangled themselves from around the massive tome, long black links falling to the floor with a muffled thud. Everything seemed slower, pressed together, suffocating; a full darkness. Eyes watering, the feel of cotton in her mouth, she waited for the book to recognize her and drop its defenses. She could feel Shiloh near her, his light a mere flicker of a candle compared to the thickness overtaking the chamber. Had all the work she had put into being able to use these words at will been taken away from her in the three years since she had last spoken them? The lines of spells that helped her time and time again, even though they seemed to take away just as much as they gave…an endless cycle of light and dark, give and take, death and life. There was so much she had yet to learn and so much she already had, surely there was something here within these pages that would lead her to Naminé. Somehow, someway; perhaps if she could be the light to lead Naminé out of her darkness she would be able to summon the girl's consciousness out of the dream it was trapped in. All she could do was breathe, reach out her heart, and hope.

A pulse of energy surged through her as she bowed her head and began to read, her thoughts reaching out in a search for the small albino's mind she knew lay sleeping somewhere in the nether. It would take a while to find her the first time, it always did; the first step was always the hardest. Despite the difficulties that awaited her Taso wanted to do this more than anything; she wanted to find Naminé. "Help me, Shiloh." The girl whispered softly, feeling the boy at her side, reaching out, touching the key. He faded into the trinket and disappeared deep within the book, taking Taso's mind with him. Suddenly another plane emerged and they found themselves standing in the middle of a forest.

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

Naminé wandered the empty hallways of the library, fingertips brushing the spines of fog-like books that moved through her hand when she reached to take them from the shelf. Her heart constricted with a sad pain she couldn't explain, an emptiness within her she couldn't quite place. Why couldn't she touch the things she loved the most? Why were they so out of reach for her, even in her unconscious mind? _Riku…_ She looked around, forlorn, wondering where her brother might be. He was alone without her, she needed to find him. She had felt him before, had sensed he was talking to her, but now he had gone and she didn't know when she would be able to feel him again. She needed to find the key; the key she had found before, the one hidden in the book. Maybe then she would be able to open the gate in the forest, maybe then she would be able to find her way home. Unlike the forest and her stepping stones, this place was not warm and welcoming. Much to the contrast of the real library, this dark place reminded her of an abandoned house or an old barn. There was a sense of memories that didn't belong to her, a place she had never been before, a discomfort. It was as if she were invading someone else's sacred ground, stepping over a grave, peeking into someone else's bedroom. She was not meant to be here, and yet, she had to find that key. She had to get out of here and find out what had happened to her, and why she was not trapped within her own mind; asleep in a dream she couldn't wake out of. It scared her, not knowing what was happening. She wished there were someone else in this place for her to talk to. With no one holding her hand she felt so cold.

-x-x-x-

Shiloh led Taso through the forest, feeling for energy signals, memory trails, anything that would lead them through the dense green darkness and out into the light. The trees wove a frenzied maze, seeming to move and follow the two walking within it, Taso looking above her in an attempt to see the sky. "This place is trying to trap us; I think the book has forgotten me." Taso said softly to the ghost-boy before her. "What should we do?"

"I'll find the way." Shiloh replied nonchalantly and continued walking, falling forward onto his hands which turned into paws. Instantly the boy was gone and all that remained was the wolf. A shudder spiraled through Tasogare's body, eyeing the wolf with disdain. The wolf noticed it but chose to only cock his ears in response, red-gold flashing in his white eyes. The trees seemed to part and stand still before him, afraid to move for fear of the wolf's jowls. The mint-haired girl followed after her brother with sadness and anger mixing within her. She hated that form more than she hated the actual wolves that had killed her brother, the fact that he was more powerful in the shape of the creature that killed him; it made her stomach coil. It was almost as if the wolves' spirits were trying to atone for their sins by giving the boy their power. It was unforgivable, an abomination, and yet it was necessary if they were to have any say in the happenings of this realm. The forest feared the wolf, cleared their path, and brought them to a large gate bound with chains and a massive lock much like the book had been before Taso had opened it with her key. There was no way Naminé could have made it past something like this alone. Shiloh sat down on his haunches and looked up at the girl standing at his side. " _She was here_ ," he said to her, " _but something whisked her away, something in her memories. Where would she go to find a key?_ "

Taso's brow furrowed, confused, then suddenly she realized. "The library; before, she found your key hidden in one of my books upstairs. She must have thought of it when she was at this gate. Where have her thoughts taken her?"

" _Somewhere you cannot go_. _I will find her and bring her back to the forest_. _Do not wander from the gate, it is the only safe point I have felt within the forest thus far_. _If you become lost in these woods without me, I am not sure if your soul will be able to fight it off. You're not who you were the last time we played these games._ "

"You mean I've gotten weaker, I'm not strong enough to walk here by myself." Tasogare said, looking away slightly, letting that sink in.

Shiloh looked up at her, ghost-fire sparkling in his wolf eyes. " _This is not a place for you to be at all. If I were not here with you then you would never have made it this far, even if time had not passed since your last excursion. This is beyond you; it is nearly beyond me. We are not meant to be in her mind; it is encrypted, like an ancient text I have to decipher with each footstep we take. I need to go from here alone. I don't want anything to happen to you_."

Heart wrenching, reluctantly Taso nodded. "Keep in touch."

Within a blink the wolf was gone.

-x-x-x-

The small albino girl finally spotted the chair she had claimed as her own the last time she had been to the library. It looked different in her mind, it was gigantic and mounted with tons of fluffy, feathery pillows; but it was definitely the same settee. The dark brown and blue checkered pattern flowed into the floor and the walls, gradually becoming more contrast, black and white checkers seeming to be slowly taking over the surrounding area. She half expected a pink and purple striped cat to pop up with a Cheshire grin and tell her which way to go with paws pointing in opposite directions. Naminé in Wonderland? That was a book she would be fine with never reading. She turned to look at the books surrounding her, flowing and foggy, untouchable. How was she supposed to find the key hidden within the books if she couldn't touch them to begin with? And if this was her mind, then why was it she couldn't reach them in the first place? It wasn't as if she wanted to be trapped here! Confused and frustrated, she let out a sigh and padded over to the cushiony chair, plopping down atop the mound of pillows and crossing her arms over her bare chest. What was she going to do? She felt more and more like little Alice, lost and tumbling down a hole. She couldn't help but let her mind wander and think the question, with a smile teasing her lips, _Well then, where's my white rabbit?_ She looked up and let out a startled cry, crawling up the cushions until her bare back was pressed to the cold wall behind her. There, standing dead ahead of her, was a huge white wolf. It stood at the end of the bookshelves a few yards away from her but had locked its eyes into hers and began walking towards her slowly. Terrified, Naminé envisioned the wolf turning around and leaving, stopping its advance, anything besides coming any closer to her. This was her mind! She should be able to control the things within it! But the lupine didn't stop in its tracks or turn and flee, and a gentle comforting voice echoed through the tense air surrounding her.

" _I'm here to take you home_."

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

Demyx walked through the mall with Zexion at his side, eyeing the other boy with a know-it-all grin. "So, what do you think Axel and Riku have been doing all day?"

"Oh come off it Dem, Axel's not that much of a deviant." He caught the look Demyx was giving him, hesitated, then sighed and added, "Well alright, he _is_ that much of a deviant, but I think he genuinely likes Riku. He wouldn't have pushed things with him already, you know?"

Raising his hands to interlock behind his head the blonde smiled and chuckled in response, replying, "Yeah I guess so, but it does make you wonder."

"You're worse than Reno and Yuffie sometimes." Zexion said, sweat-drop atop the back of his head as the two walked towards the arcade, the chimes and bells of various games and people's laughter greeting their ears. Suddenly a different chime sounded, Demyx reaching for his pocket, pulling his cell phone out, and pressing the device to his ear. From the light dancing in the boys eyes Zexion knew who it must be. _Yuffie…_ The silver-haired boy glanced over at the blonde beside him, slate eyes flitting over his friend's smile and ocean-colored eyes. The dark haired girl had been calling Demyx more and more recently; it was beginning to irk him. It wasn't like Zexion to be possessive of his friends but there had been a time when he had been all Demyx needed. Now it seemed the younger boy needed Yuffie as well, and in more ways than one. He was fairly sure he had seen the girl kiss Demyx in the hallway earlier that day. He was not looking forward to hanging out with her this afternoon.

"Yuffie just finished her homework; she said she's on her way!" Demyx cheered as they reached the arcade, shoving his phone back in his pocket. "This is going to be so much fun, just wait until Axel and Riku get here, _D.D.R._ Dance-off Extravaganza!"

Zexion's eyes softened and he followed after his friend. He didn't have a problem with the girl, they got along fine! They had been friends for a long time, but there was something about her that bothered the older boy, something deeper. As Demyx took his hand and pulled him in-between pinball machines to an air hockey table and shot him a competitive glance, Zexion pushed Yuffie from his mind. If it was something that Demyx wanted to talk to him about then the boy would. Until then there was no reason for Zexion to make it into a big deal. He wanted Demyx to be happy, but still, this feeling he had that he couldn't explain meant something... Zexion took the air-hockey puck and tossed it across the table to Demyx, letting the younger begin the match. Maybe he just needed to stop thinking about it so much.

The blonde, completely oblivious to his friend's inner turmoil, said merrily, "So when Yuffie gets here we should totally run to the candy shop; she wanted to get some Peepz and I think I'm gonna grab some Air Heads."

"Fitting," Zexion replied seriously, "Air Heads are just the right kind of candy for you. Well…Air Heads or Nerds."

The other boy cocked his head to the side and said, "But I don't like Ner…waaait!" Demyx scowled. "You're making fun of me you jerk!" he whined, swatting playfully at the slate-eyed boy from across the table. "But really, though."

Zexion smiled, listening to his friend ramble on about different candies as they knocked the puck back and forth, trying not to think about his tapping foot or his wandering questions about Yuffie. Why Demyx? Of all the people she could have liked, why did she have to mess with him? A smart slap of puck against knuckles snapped the boy out of his haze, pulling his hand away from the table and shaking it as he cursed lightly. Scowling at his red hand, the boy sighed; he was so out of it.

"You okay?" Demyx asked, smiling in amusement but looking concerned nonetheless.

"Fine." Zexion replied, "Here, you serve." He tossed the puck back across the table with his non-throbbing hand. He kissed his knuckles, mind turning to the pain in his hand instead of the numbness in his heart. Now he knew why Sora cut himself, some times there were certain things that could only be blotted out by sheer pain.

The perky voice screaming Demyx and Zexion's name from across the arcade would usually do nothing but cause the older boy to sigh in mock aggravation. Now it caused him to swallow hard; the taste of cotton in his mouth and a shadow pressing heavy against his heart. Why Yuffie? Slate eyes looked as if in slow motion between the blonde boy and the dark headed girl who were moving to greet one another, the laughter in his eyes and the smile on her face complete opposite of the emotions Zexion was drowning in. Still, when she turned to look at him, chocolate-colored irises beaming up at him with a brand new smile, he forgot his anger and reached out to ruffle her hair. She was too innocent; he would never be able to blame her for this. Maybe she truly just wanted to be with Demyx, maybe they really would be happy together. The grin across his face hiding the sadness in his eyes, Zexion thought inwardly that tragically he only had himself to blame. He had waited too long, been too scared. Now he just had to grin and bear it.

-x-x-x-

Riku sat beside Axel in his hummer as they drove to meet the others at the mall, the vibrations of the motor doing nothing to flutter his heart the way the red head holding his hand was. He couldn't stop thinking about the way Axel had kissed him, the way it made him feel as if he had still been falling even though he had been lying flat on the floor. Then after, when they had been talking and the older boy had locked their lips together suddenly; just the thought of it made his cheeks burn all over again.

Axel was watching Riku's expressions out of the corner of his eye, gentle smile playing across his lips. So cute; what was he thinking about that was making him fluster over and over again? The red head didn't say anything about it, having too much fun just watching and wondering to ruin the mystery with an answer. They passed through town, down streets filled with cars from afternoon traffic and kids walking the sidewalks laughing; enjoying one another's company even if they weren't doing a thing. The group of kids made him think of his own friends they were driving to meet; what would Demyx say when he found out Axel had kissed Riku? Axel chuckling lightly to himself at the know-it-all way he figured Demyx would respond to such news, causing Riku to turn his head slightly and follow the sound. There was a question in his unseeing eyes but when the red head didn't say anything the boy supposed it must have been a fleeting thought and returned to his own, wondering what the mall would be like. Axel turned a corner, pulled into the mall parking lot, and surveyed the striped asphalt until he found an open spot near the entrance. He turned off the engine, sitting there a moment, before he turned to Riku and asked, "You ready for this? The mall is rather big, and the arcade can be busy right after school like this..."

Riku nodded, squeezing Axel's hand. "I'll be okay, it'll probably take me a minute to get used to all the noises and people but after that I should be fine. After all, you're here with me and the others will be here, so it's not like I'll freak out being surrounded by people I don't know." He shuddered slightly, remembering his panic when he had discovered he was lost in a sea of people at the concert the night before. Axel nodded, getting out of the hummer and waiting for Riku to do the same, the blind boy gliding his hand over the side of the car until he met the headlights across the front. The older boy reached out and took his hand again, the two walking together across the parking lot, Axel guiding the younger carefully behind him. The older pushed through the double doors, pulling Riku into the building behind him gently. The lights highlighting the entrance danced along the bleached zigzags on Riku's jeans and the studs on his belt, making the pink in his black _Panic! At The Disco_ shirt stand out against the dark fabric. The light brought out the green in Axel's blue jeans as well; the yellow, white, and blue _Hellogoodbye_ t-shirt he was sporting making his red hair shine like fire under the glare. His black and white checkered sneakers padded lightly along the carpet, Riku's boots thudding in an echo to the off-beat.

Axel led them down the hallways past gossiping teens and shopping moms with their whining kids in tow, until bells and chimes accompanied with a roar of laughter echoed from one end of the mall. The arcade was definitely in full swing, and someone was getting pwned at _D.D.R._ from the sounds of it. Cheshire-cat grin crossing his face, the older boy asked the younger boy over his shoulder, "Have you ever tried to play _Dance Dance Revolution_?"

The pale blonde shook his head, "No, what's that?"

"It's a game where you dance against another player, you step on different tiles on the floor as a song plays and see who can score the most points." He smiled as they pushed past a group of girls and entered the arcade, passing a crowd gathered near said _D.D.R._ and looking around for Demyx and Zexion.

Riku stepped up to Axel's side after a moment, pointing towards the back. "I can hear Yuffie." He said, glancing up to where he thought Axel must be looking down at him.

"I'm surprised you can hear her over all this noise," the older boy said, leading Riku through people and pinball machines towards the direction the blonde had indicated, "Your hearing is really good, Riku."

"It's not my hearing," the younger said with a smile, "she's just really, _really_ loud."

Laughing, Axel shook his head. So true. Once he knew he was heading in the right direction he could pick her voice out of the crowd as well, and a turn later came face to face with the girl and her two companions. Demyx was laughing at her, face red and eyes watering as she stood there scowling, but Zexion was standing back off in his own little world. It was unlike the silver-headed boy not to be joking right along with Demyx. Axel furrowed his eyebrows in confusion but turned to greet Yuffie when she said his and Riku's names, the peppy girl frolicking over to wrap her arms around Axel's free hand. "Come on, Axel, tell Demyx that it's true that there's a hippo loose in the city! They were talking about it in my last period class! Selphie was too!" She pouted as the boy blinked down at her in confusion. "Oh you stayed home all day and you didn't watch the news?" She scolded, crossing her arms and turning back to Demyx, who was still laughing his ass off. "I'm telling you! There's a hippo!"

"A h-hippopotamus, w-wandering the s-s-streets? In Dashilaw?" The dark-blonde was cackling uncontrollably.

Zexion sighed, finally seeming to snap out of his daze, and said softly, "Only you would believe something so unfathomable, where would the hippo have come from?"

"The zoo!" Yuffie defended, pouting.

"Sexi Zexi, you're not gonna win this one," Axel teased the other boy, "Yuffie hasn't been to the zoo lately to know that there isn't a hippo habitat there anymore."

Riku coughed, choked, or laughed one. "You shouldn't believe everything people tell you, Yuffie." He said seriously after a moment of recovery, smile still twitching the corners of his mouth as he tried desperately not to laugh.

The small girl made a sound of exasperation, throwing her hands up. "Fine! Maybe I am gullible..."

"Maybe?" Zexion and Demyx asked in unison, looking at one another, both boys returning to laughter.

Riku chuckled lightly, Axel looking down at the boy and gently squeezing his hand. "What on earth were you all talking about that brought on this conversation?" The blind boy asked, "Aren't you supposed to be mutilating one another at Ski-ball or something?"

"We were playing air hockey," Demyx said, "but now we're waiting for the _D.D.R._ to clear out so we can have a small tournament amongst ourselves."

Zexion glanced at Axel who caught his eyes, then the slate-eyed boy deliberately looked at Riku, and then back to Axel with a questioning expression. The red head asked the boy at his side casually, "Do you want to me teach you how to play?"

Riku shifted from one foot to the other, then replied, "I'd like to listen to you guys play, but I don't know if I'll be able to play or not. Especially if there are a lot of people watching..."

"Cool! We'll wait until it clears out over there and when no one's looking we'll get you to try it out!" Demyx said, Yuffie clapping excitedly. "It's okay if you suck at it, you can't suck as bad as Yuffie."

The girl paused her clapping, slapping the boy's arm and cussing at him threateningly.

The blonde, laughing as he rubbed his arm, added, "No pressure though, it's just for fun."

Zexion, getting a serious look on his face, put his hand to the side of his mouth so Demyx couldn't tell what he was saying then said loud enough that the blonde could definitely hear him, "He says that now, but just wait until he starts losing."

"Aww Zexiiii..." Demyx whined, "Why do you have to be so mean!" He sniffed for effect.

Yuffie laughed, turning to Riku and taking the boy's hand, pulling the hesitant boy away from Axel and saying, "Let's go over and see if they're almost done yet!"

"O-okay..." Riku agreed, following after the hyper girl. Holding onto her small hand wasn't near as reassuring as Axel's strong, warm embrace, but he had to start getting used to this sort of thing. He didn't want to be too clingy towards Axel, especially after they'd kissed like that. Riku blushed lightly at the memory. No matter how many times he thought about it he still felt hot, like waking up from a fantasy to find yourself tangled in your sheets and sweating. He reveled in the sensation of his heart beating faster just from the thought of the other boy's lips pressing against his. It was like magic.

Yuffie stopped him as they neared the back of the crowd, people cheering then making sounds of disappointment when the two playing decided they'd had their fun for the afternoon and left the stage. The crowd dwindled, Demyx, Zexion, and Axel walking up behind Yuffie and Riku, waiting to see if there was someone else who wanted to play before they took over the game. "Alright!" Yuffie said cheerily, "Who's up first?"

"I vote Zexion and Axel!" Demyx cheered, making a peace sign at the two boys when they exchanged glances and shook their heads.

"That's fine with me." Axel replied, brushing past Riku and tracing his fingertips across the younger boy's palm as he passed by, sending pleasant shudders through the blind boy's spine.

Zexion made a sound of agreement, moving to take his place on the pedestal beside Axel. They each inserted quarters, debated with rock-paper-scissors which difficulty they would dance to, and then set the song selection to random so neither one of them would know what to expect. They took their positions, pressed the button and waited for the song to start. "Let the countdown commence!" Demyx said in an announcer's voice, Yuffie laughing, Riku wondering what he should be expecting. A perky female voice (that could easily have competed with Yuffie's) beamed out from the game's speakers, declaring that the boys were going to be dancing to _Barbie Girl_ by _Aqua_! Bells and whistles chimed excitedly as the boys made displeased sounds and their three watchers burst into laughter. Before they had time to really complain the dance-off had already started.

… _3…_

… _2…_

… _ready?…_

… _GO!_

Zexion and Axel took off, the song surprisingly difficult to keep up with despite knowing the song front and backwards. That would be thanks to Axel setting the song speed to hard, trying to be a bad-ass even if Riku couldn't watching his mad skills via footwork. Zexion knew how to groove too, his expertise in techno and everything pop making his dance style keep him light on his feet. Demyx was hooping and hollering, Yuffie whistling and throwing her hands up in the air, taking one of Riku's along with her. The blind boy chuckled, listening to the bells and whistles, the beat of the music, and a distinct repetition of certain notes in sequence with one another. Maybe they were the notes of where you were supposed to step?

Leaning in towards the butterscotch fragrance that always seemed to follow the girl, Riku asked, "Yuffie, will you tell me the buttons they're stepping on as they press them?"

Chocolate eyes looked over to meet ghost-white, the girl looking confused but replying, "Sure! I'll tell you when they light up, okay?"

"Okay." Riku replied, nodding. He listened to the beat of the music, picking out the notes he heard before, four distinct different tones playing over and over in different orders and sometimes combined.

Yuffie waited for the chorus to begin again, then said, "Front, back, front, back, double…"

"What's double?" Riku asked, listening for the notes she had called by that name again.

"Double- trouble, it's just what we call the two-step moves; double is when you press left and right at the same time, trouble is when you press front and back." She watched the boy at her side nod, seeming to put those words in his memory for later. She thought for a moment, then added, "Sometimes there are corner moves too, they're numbered one to four. Front and right is one, right and back is two, back and left is three, and left and front is four. Clockwise like a grid, you get it?"

"Okay, I'll try to remember." Riku replied, long locks passing over his eyes as he turned his attention back to the competing boys. "What are they doing now?"

Yuffie turned to watch, eyes flitting across the lights under the boy's moving feet. "Front, back, trouble, right," she whispered the mantra, happiness in her voice as she shuffled to the beat, "left, left, right, three, back, front, double-trouble!"

Demyx shouted "double-trouble" as Yuffie whispered it, clapping, watching his two friends dancing and laughing at one another merrily. Zexion glanced over at Axel while rolling his eyes at the blonde's outburst. "And why did we ever take the time to name the _D.D.R._ steps again?"

Axel, laughing, said as he jumped to hit a double, "So he'd have an excuse to be loud of course!"

"I heard that!" Demyx retorted, booing at them in mock-distaste.

"Aren't cheerleaders supposed to cheer for their players?" the red headed chided with a laugh, looking back at Demyx for a moment and catching sight of Yuffie whispering to Riku who seemed to be listening intently.

Zexion, getting his playful yet deadly serious look again, said matter-of-factly, "That's true, but our usual cheerleader's not here; where is Reno anyway?"

Axel barked out a laugh, missing his step and slumping against the bar guarding the dancers from accidentally falling off their pedestals. "Reno, in a cheerleading outfit…ahahahahha…"

"Don't joke! I actually have one of those!" a voice said with a pouting tone, the group of friends turning to see Reno and Vincent entering the arcade, the older red-headed boy sticking his tongue out at his younger brother. "You suck Axel, talking about me like that. Go ahead and let everyone know I'm out, won't you?"

Vincent, if he could have, would have turned into a chibi and sweat-dropped. The dark man was in his usual red and black attire, but the shorter boy at his side was wearing a white t-shirt with a rainbow heart on it, tight black pants accenting the bright colors.

"Like it's not obvious?" Vincent said softly, patting the boy on the shoulder.

Zexion snickered, coughing to cover his smile, Axel wiping tears from his jade eyes and letting out a sigh. "Yo bro, what's up?"

"Nothing much!" The older boy replied, walking over to his brother as Axel and Zexion dismounted their dance pads. "Wandering around the mall, killing some time. We haven't heard from Zack all day, he's probably still with Cloud."

"It's a good thing he's not here," Vincent said with a smile, "We'd be stuck here until nightfall playing _D.D.R._ , especially with all of you here."

"He is rather competitive isn't he." Yuffie said with a giggle, "I smoked him once last year and he still gives me hell about a rematch, which I refuse just so I can hold it over him!"

Riku laughed, saying, "Well I'm sure Cloud would like this game, maybe Zack will busy himself with playing against my brother instead of you, Yuffie."

Axel smiled over at the blind boy, weaving past Zexion and Demyx to take the younger boy's hand, Yuffie stepping away from him to go stand by Reno. The two immediately began chatting and walked off to a racing game, leaving the boys to talk amongst themselves. "So how's life, Vince?" Zexion asked. "Reno dragging you around to the Sweet Shoppe again?"

"Worse," the eldest boy whispered, a 'why me' expression crossing his face, "he wants me to help him pick out an animal to make at the Build-A-Bear Workshop **(1)** they just added to the far end of the mall."

Demyx and Zexion made "ooo"ing sounds, hissing between their teeth as if feeling the man's pain. "Ouch," Demyx whispered, "that's gonna cost you."

"It's not the money I'd be worried about." Axel said while laughing lightly, giving Vincent a sympathetic look. "But I do fear for your sanity."

Riku shoved his arm playfully, fingers intertwined with the older boy's, "You're one to talk, you live with him!"

Axel play-shoved him back with a smile, the three other boys laughing. While Vincent, Demyx, and Zexion were preoccupied in their conversation the red-headed boy leaned in and nuzzled Riku's ear, breath brushing across the younger boy's skin and making the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. "Have you forgotten already," Axel whispered softly to the blind boy, "that you live with him now too?"

Riku blushed slightly, a smile crossing his face as Axel kissed his cheek discretely; cat-green eyes searched those haunting, captivating dead irises with affection burning in his heart. "I haven't forgotten." Riku whispered back, turning his head and brushing his lips unknowingly against Axel's. Electric fire sparked his cheeks to a full, blazing rouge, the hue standing out stark against his pale skin. He felt the other boy smile against his lips, Axel giving him a quick kiss before pulling away, their audience continuing their conversation like nothing had happened. Riku let out a silent breath; they must not have seen.

Yuffie exclaiming loudly seemed to turn everyone's attention to where she and Reno were sitting next to one another in their racecar seats, the small girl punching the air triumphantly as Reno shrugged. "Good race! Maybe I'll beat you next time." The boy stood up from the game, Yuffie following after him, the girl running up to the _D.D.R._ pedestal and swinging under one of the bars and up onto the footpad.

"Alright! Who's up against me first?" she asked, the hands planted on her hips making her look an awful lot like the storybook pictures of a haughty Peter Pan.

Reno linked his arm in Vincent's, the two older boys watching the girl with smiles on their faces, Demyx sighing and hoisting himself up onto the other pedestal. "I guess that's my cue to kick some ninja ass…"

"Bring it, Blondie!" Yuffie screeched, reaching over and clawing at the boy beside her.

With a sigh, Demyx scrolled through the song selection screen, putting it on random as Axel and Zexion had before them. "Children…"

Yuffie hissed, back arching like a cat's, eyes pits of fire as she inserted her quarter and pounded the selection key. "Let's see you try to keep up with me now, pretty boy." She said, cackling, the female announcer telling them to be prepared for their mystery selection which would be playing in…

"Expert? Wow." Axel said, whistling low as he wrapped an arm around Riku's shoulders. "They're going to be hitting those buttons like stomping on fire-ants."

"I should have brought my camera!" Reno said, hearts in his eyes. "Dance my little Yu-chan!" Vincent sighed again, returning to his silent demeanor, eyes dancing in entertainment at his best friend.

Riku chuckled lightly, leaning against Axel in total comfort; surrounded by a group of friends he was growing closer to with each day and an amazing guy who was turning out to be his best friend, his roommate, and possibly his boyfriend? His heart skipped a beat at the thought. Everything was so perfect.

…If only what seemed to be were really true…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1)Build-A-Bear Workshop is a shop where you make stuffed animals. You can customize them with clothes, sound-chips (so when you press their tummies or hands they say something), and hand-stuff them for maximum cuddles.


	12. Listless

Tasogare stood alone at the gate in the forest, wind tossing the high branches of the trees back and forth, an eerie sound drifting in on the winds. Something was happening…

-x-x-x-

Naminé watched in horror as the wolf approached her, the soft voice in her mind mixing with the fear inside her. What was this? Why was it here? This wasn't right, this couldn't be right… The gentle voice whispering from the ghost-boy failed to reach her panicking mind, so the boy decided to take a more direct approach. Shiloh padded forward slowly, but with each step he took Naminé seemed to squirm further and further back into the wall. The black and white checkers kept moving behind her until she was melding into the walls; sinking into the broken fragments of her mind, back into chaos.

The ghost-boy gasped, morphing back into his child-like appearance as quickly as he could, the magic here binding him so the transformation was slow and painful. He had to stop her before she was absorbed into the mirror and they had to search for her all over again. There might not come another time when they would be able to find her. Gritting his fangs the wolf pleaded wordlessly for her not to be scared, not to run away; gold shining in his eyes. Shiloh knew where her friends were, where her brothers and parents were on the other side! Why wouldn't she listen to him? She was too far gone in her own delusion...

The small albino girl began to loose her color completely, the light pink of her eyes fading until she herself was turning black and white. As the ghost finally changed back into a child and Naminé began to snap out of her panic, she screamed and reached out her hand; the chaos trying to pull her in and make her one with the library. "Chaos" Taso and Shiloh called it; the errors, the blanks in your mind, the endless sea of black and white checkers than seemed to creep into everything when you'd been unconscious for too long. It was a sea that tried to drown you no matter how far you swam. Shiloh reached out, grabbing hold of Naminé's hand and pulling her with all his might. She could touch him like Taso never could, her broken mind able to intertwine with his, but it was also able to drain him of his scarce remaining strength. Unsure of what the outcome would be the boy simply held on to the girl's disappearing form, trying to pull her back from the darkness.

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

Roxas waited outside Sora's house, foot tapping the ground in worried agitation. The blonde had walked the boy to his house, the brunette disappearing inside once they had reached their destination to see if his father was at home. It hadn't been two minutes yet and already Roxas was getting nervous about the situation. The last time Sora had attempted to let the blonde come over his father had been rather wasted, and the brunette had gotten a firm slap across the face for his apparent "smart-ass" attitude in thinking he was allowed to bring over company unexpected. Roxas sighed, the warm autumn air passing through the color-changing trees lazily; several half-green, half-orange and red leaves falling to the lawn below. The streets were silent save for the occasional vehicle passing by, Roxas wishing more than anything that he had the money to buy his own car so they didn't have to choose between walking and riding the bus every day. He had been saving but it still wasn't quite enough. He could ask his parents for the money, but that would just give them something else to hold over him the next time they had a confrontation. Sighing, he thought back on the promise he had made to himself; he was going to do this on his own.

Shifting from one foot to the other then leaning back against the side of the house again, Roxas listened intently for any hint of movement inside, eyes willing the front door to open again and let him know his boyfriend was all right. "Come on Sora, where are you..."

The door remained shut, fueling Roxas' worry, until suddenly the blonde's cell phone chimed and the boy pulled the device from his pocket. He had a new instant-message from Sora.

/ _Sora:: I'm sry Rox, I can't go back out_. /

The blonde's eyes narrowed, anger burning hot in his veins as his heart started pounding.

/ Roxas:: What'd he do now? /

/ _Sora:: I'm ok._ /

/ Roxas:: That doesn't answer question. /

There was a pause in response, Roxas backing away from the house and walking around to the side, looking for any un-curtained windows. He peeked inside the living room through a small part between two blinds, eyes glancing from the flickering television to the beer bottles lining the table and spilt across the floor. If that drunk bastard had hit Sora again... Cell clutched in his hand he continued further down the house, reaching the back door and hiding in the shadows between the side of the house and a large pine tree nearby while he sent the younger boy another message.

/ Roxas: Come 2 the bk door. /

He could hear movement inside almost immediately, Sora saying something and getting a pissed-off shout for a response, then the back door opened and the brunette stepped out with a trash bag in hand. He met eyes with Roxas then looked over his shoulder and shut the door carefully, stepping out and setting the trash in a pile before tiptoeing over to where Roxas was hidden in the shadows. "Rox, you can't be here right now, I'm sorry that I-"

"Tell me what he did to you." Roxas said sternly, eyes gentle but voice cold. Sora looked away, knowing the blonde was mad at him for taking the abuse instead of standing up to the man, lifting up the arm of his shirt to reveal his latest injury. There were several cuts there, blood dripping down his arm slowly. "Jesus Sora..." the boy whispered, eyes turning from anger to concern as he reached up to one of the deeper cuts and pulled out something shiny. "Glass?"

"He threw a broken bottle at me, said I was interrupting him." The brunette murmured. "I was trying to ask him how his day was...forgot there's a game today."

The blonde searched Sora's expressions desperately. "What can I do?"

Rasping out a laugh that hinted an edge of tears, he whispered, "Nothing..." The younger boy looked over at him with a small smile. "I love you so much."

"I love you too, Sora." Roxas said; his heart breaking for the small, delicate creature before him. How could parents ever grow to abuse their own flesh and blood? How could someone's love for another human being change so drastically just from being intoxicated, and turn from affection to hate? Tears welling in his eyes Roxas pulled the other boy to him gently; avoiding his shoulder and kissing his cheek.

What could he do? There had to be something he could do, Sora's father couldn't just keep doing this! And yet, there really was nothing Roxas could do; if he called the police the brunette would just be hauled off to a group home, his mother wouldn't take him in. Sora had told him once that he would rather remain in his father's keep, beaten and unloved, than have to move away from Roxas and loose everything all over again. Frustration bubbling inside him like boiling water he growled, aquamarine irises darkening in anger. No, there was something he could do.

"Come on, we're leaving."

Blinking, a tear falling down his cheek, Sora asked in confusion, "W-what?"

Roxas took hold of the younger boy's good arm, pulling him along the side of the house, walking towards the street. "You're not staying here anymore, you shouldn't have to put up with this bullshit!"

"B-but I can't just leave! Some of my school books are still here, and my clothes!" Sora whispered frantically, following the blonde's example and ducking past the living room window, the brunette catching a glimpse of his father pacing inside with a beer in hand as he watched his precious game.

When they reached the front of the house Roxas stopped Sora, pushing him gently back against the face of the house, searching his sapphire eyes, tears falling unhindered down his rosy cheeks. "You do not deserve this, Sora. You're coming with me to talk to my parents, we'll sort this out once and for all."

"Your parents?" Sora asked softly, "But I thought you said they would never..."

"When my mother sees you bleeding and bruised from head to toe I'm pretty sure she'll change her mind." The blonde replied. "She's a materialistic stuck-up snob most of the time, but she's not a cold-hearted bitch. She won't call the cops and she won't bother to try and find your father to tell him where you are." He let his words sink in, watching the changing expressions crossing his lover's face. Confusion, fear, uncertainty; but beneath all else a trust so fierce it could conquer the mightiest inner turmoil. Sora knew with his whole heart Roxas would never let anything happen to him, would never lie to him, and loved him no matter what. The blonde waited, the brunette thinking and turning everything over and over in his mind again, his free hand clenched over his heart as if he were hurting.

Finally, fear in his eyes, Sora asked, "What happens if he comes looking for me?"

Roxas looked him dead in the eye, held his gaze, and replied, "I'll beat the shit out of him."

A smile and a broken laugh accompanied with a nod were all the signs the blonde needed. Taking Sora's hand in his own he took off running, the brunette following after him, Roxas' heart pounding so hard he thought it might explode. He was sure Sora's heart must have been doing the same. Their shoes clapped hard against the concrete as they crossed the road, dodging cars and passing through people's backyards as they tried to put as much distance between themselves and Sora's father as possible. Block after block they ran, until Roxas' lungs thought they were going to burst, the two boys reaching a sheltered grove of trees between two apartment complexes and collapsing to the cool grass beneath the towering branches.

The blonde boy, lying on his back and looking up at the dark leaves above him, looked over to Sora who was panting face-down into the damp grass below him. "I...don't think...I've ever...run that fast..." The younger boy said between deep gasps of air, turning his head to met eyes with Roxas, a huge smile across his face. "I can't believe we just did that…"

The blonde's eyes sparkling with affection, Roxas reached over and brushed messy russet spikes away from Sora's forehead. "I can't believe we didn't do it sooner."

Sapphire shining into aquamarine, Sora lifted himself up onto his arms and leaned over Roxas, kissing the older boy gently. Roxas, surprised, reached up and cupped the boy's cheek, kissing him back softly. Sora rarely initiated actions when it came to personal displays of affection; he allowed Roxas to sneak a kiss every now and then but other than that the boys had rarely done anything more than holding hands. Blonde eyelashes closing low over lightly blushing cheeks, he laid back and let the younger take control, Sora pressing against him a bit harder as the kiss deepened. After a moment the brunette pulled away, searching misty blue eyes with his own, Roxas smiling up at him dreamily. "What?" Sora asked; blush creeping up into his cheeks at the dazed look his boyfriend was giving him.

"Nothing, you're just so amazing." Roxas said softly, sitting up on his elbows and giving the younger a soft kiss before pushing himself to his feet. "I think that's the first time you've ever kissed me like that."

"R-really?" Sora asked nervously.

Chuckling affectionately Roxas took the boy's hand and pulled him up to his side, pressing their foreheads together. "I love you Sora."

Eyes shimmering, said boy replied, "I love you too, Rox."

Roxas smiled as they began walking again, saying as they left the grove of trees and headed for the street, "Now then, let's head home before that starts to get infected."

Sora looked down at his shoulder; the cuts had finally started to clot but the middle one looked deeper than the others and might require stitches. The brunette's heart fluttered as he followed after the boy ahead of him. This would be a new beginning for him, and a whole new level in their relationship with one another. Sora couldn't wait to happily be a part of them both.

-xxxo0:O:0oxx-

The library was dusty, a golden haze passing in front of the light coming in through the windows, Kurei walking through the cloudy beams and looking around in wonder. Tasogare was here somewhere, he knew it, he could sense it like someone hiding around the corner while playing hide and seek. Wandering around the first floor, sunlight making the blue highlights in his purple hair shine brightly, Kurei searched the rows of bookshelves for Tasogare. He knew she was here somewhere, he just didn't know where. After searching the second story for her usual hide-away he had come back downstairs and begun wandering the back sections of the library. He pulled his cell from his pocket to check the service; no signal. Maybe she was somewhere further back. Sighing, he shoved the phone back in his jeans, stepping around a ladder and book cart then walking down an aisle of old fiction novels. Then a sudden thought came to his mind. If Taso was here, then did that mean Kairi was at her house alone?

-x-x-x-

Walking around a house, no matter how slow one did so, when there were broken ribs involved took entirely too much time and effort. Not to mention it was making her pain killers wear off, and no matter how guilty Kairi felt she took back ten fold what she had said about deserving to be in pain. It was unbearable. Slumped on the couch clutching her side she breathed deep but slow, trying to stop the throbbing in her side that was leading up her spine to the throbbing in her head. She ached all over; why hadn't she just stayed in bed and slept some more! "Stupid, stupid, stupid…" she cursed lightly, eyes squeezed shut, tears gathered in her dark eyelashes.

A jingle-bell sounded through the house, echoing through the kitchen and into the living room, Nyao meowing and jumping onto the couch beside the girl to try and get some attention. The kitten padded up to Kairi's face and nuzzled her cheek against the human's forehead, purring loudly, the bell on her collar chiming with her movements. Kairi half-opened one indigo eye, the calico no more than a few centimeters from her face, staring down at her with big yellow-green eyes begging for play time. Despite her irritated mood the girl couldn't help but let out a broken chuckle, reaching up to wipe her eyes and pet the small cat. The kitten mewed happily, rubbing her head into Kairi's hand, then pawed at the girl's magenta locks playfully.

Sniffing, Kairi slowly sat up, Nyao crawling into her lap and looking up at her with a meow. "What is it?" The girl asked softly, petting Nyao's ears and scratching her under her chin. She wasn't usually much of a cat person but this little kitty was a new addition to Tasogare's family since the last time she had visited. There was something about her big yellow eyes than made her smile, and her black, orange, and white patched fur was gorgeous. Looking around the room she spotted Tailo asleep as usual, the big yellow tomcat flicking his tail lightly in his sleep. Turning to look over her shoulder towards the open windows Kairi noticed some incense burning, the smell of lilac filtering in through the house on the afternoon gale. A wispy trail of smoke was drifting from the tip of the stick, dissipating once it hit the wind. Miki was sitting on the windowsill batting at the long, waving curtains as they moved back and forth. Taso had always loved cats; gentle, poised, affectionate, eloquent creatures that were completely capable of taking care of themselves. Independent. Maybe that was why Kairi wasn't as fond of them as her cousin; Tasogare had always been the more independent one.

Kairi was trapped with her parents in Hishimo, unable to move because of her age, unable to escape because she didn't have the money to do so. She hated it there, she had always felt closer to her cousin than she had to her parents; the older girl understood her in a way her mother and father had never been able to, or ever bothered trying. Sighing, Kairi relaxed into the sofa cushions, petting Nyao absently and letting her eyes wander the room until they settled on the television. She could see herself sitting in the reflection on black glass, a mirror image of herself…but for some reason her mind she didn't recognize her own face. Who was this pale, thin, bandaged girl with clothes and pink hair in disarray? She felt as if she had been someone completely different a mere twenty-four hours before. Her mind reeled back to the drive from Hishimo to Dashilaw; saying goodbye to her parents, packing for favorite outfits for her trip, how excited she had been to be spending her break with her favorite cousin. Now all those thoughts seemed hollow, meaningless. She should have just stayed home and been miserable by herself; at least then she wouldn't be sitting here regretting her ability to breathe without a machine, beating herself up over everything, and having a major guilt trip added to her being miserable. Not to mention the _pain_ …

Hissing at the fact that she could feel her heartbeat pounding in her ribs, Kairi made herself get to her feet to search the house for her pain meds, knowing Tasogare would have them lying out on a tabletop somewhere or another. They were probably in the kitchen. Moving slow and remembering not to breathe too deep (she had inhaled earlier to the point where she was pretty sure her ribs had popped) she made her way through the living room and towards the adjacent kitchen. Nyao was following her around, jingling at her feet as the girl crossed over from carpet to linoleum and glanced around at the counters for anything resembling a prescription bottle. Salt and pepper shakers, a box of matches, school books and papers strewn across the kitchen table…no medicine to be seen. Maybe it was still in a bag somewhere? They had gone by the pharmacy when they had left the hospital…

Kairi didn't know where her pills were, all she knew was while she was up she was going to raid the fridge and search through the medicine cabinet then crawl back to a cushiony surface and go back to sleep. Her head and side were pounding; there should definitely be a large glass of OJ and then some Advil, Aleve, or Tylenol involved. Where was it that Taso kept her medicine? The magenta-haired girl looked up to the cabinets above the sink, walking over and opening one; nothing but dishes. Furrowing her brow she shut the doors and turned to look at the other closed doors she knew held dishes, herbs, and spices. She knew there was a medicine cabinet somewhere! Then she realized the only cabinet she wasn't entirely sure what the contents were happened to be high above the refrigerator. Kairi groaned, putting a hand on her hip and looking up at the two small doors just out of her reach. She was going to need a chair.

-x-x-x-

Kurei searched and searched the library, sighing agitatedly when his attempts to find his friend failed after another trip upstairs and back down again. She was here somewhere, he just couldn't find her. The thought of Kairi still lingering in his mind, he decided to leave Taso to her secrets with the resolve that she would contact him later, and walked back towards the entrance doors. Kairi by herself at Taso's with the guilt of the tragedy that had recently occurred, alone and in pain… Kurei sighed, a soft smile on his lips. It had been a long time since he had seen the girl, he might as well go keep her company until Tasogare decided to come back. He pushed opened the large glass doors and stepped out onto the sidewalk, waiting for the traffic to clear so he could cross the street and go to his car.

-x-x-x-

Kairi, gritting her teeth as pain shot down her side, pulled one of the kitchen chairs to stand before the fridge as slow as she possible could. Letting out a grunt of exertion the girl released the wooden chair and clutched at her side, squeezing her eyes shut and tapping her foot to try and distract herself. It would all be better soon, she just needed to get the medicine and go back to sleep. Forget food, she'd eat painkillers as long as it would make her head and ribs stop throbbing. Indigo eyes narrowed she glared up at the little doors above the refrigerator. Who was Taso hiding her medicine from putting it way up there? It wasn't as if her cousin was that tall herself! She must have had to climb a chair to reach it as well...

Thinking to herself that putting something so high you couldn't reach it even though you lived by yourself was rather silly, Kairi hoisted herself up onto the chair and straightened up slowly, standing onto her feet wobbly and looking up at the cabinet. It was still almost out of reach. Carefully she stood to her tippy-toes, reaching up a hand to open one of the doors, barely able to touch the handle. Leaning forward and pushing herself up as high as she could she managed to swing open the little wooden door and reached inside, trying to grasp at anything that might have been a prescription bottle of some sort. A twinge coursed up her body from the tip of her toes through her legs and zapped the back of her spine before racing to settle in her ribs, the girl gasping in pain and teetering backwards off the chair. She tensed her whole body, closing her eyes, waiting to feel her back slam against the kitchen floor.

-x-x-x-

Kurei drove out of town, turning onto a small road that lead out into the country and making his way towards Taso's house. The radio playing softly, he allowed his eyes to wander the road and flicker across the passing trees, the light glinting across the blacktop, the clouds floating lazily high in the sky. It was beautiful out here; no wonder Tasogare had never moved into town. Something along the side of the road catching his attention, Kurei looked over to see a large piece of ground where the earth had been tossed up and disheveled. _That must be where Kairi and Naminé got into their wreck..._ He thought to himself, sighing as he remembered the little blonde girl's smile when they had met the day before. It was unreal to think that the same girl was now lying in a hospital bed comatose. He drove the rest of the way in silence, thinking about how Kairi must be feeling right about now.

He pulled into Taso's driveway and turned off the engine, sitting there a moment to take a deep breath and settle himself. Thinking about the past would do nothing to help the current situation. All he could do was try to comfort Kairi and keep her company to the best of his ability. He got out of his car, walking up the steps to the house and turning the doorknob to let himself inside. For all he knew she might be sleeping, he better not wake her by knocking. Stepping inside and closing the door behind him he slid out of his boots and looked around the empty living room. Maybe she was asleep after all. He stepped onto the carpet, intent on peeking his head into the bedroom to see if she was all right, when something moved out of the corner of his eye. Turning, he saw Kairi perched atop a chair in front of the refrigerator, standing on her toes and reaching for two small cabinets above the fridge. She gasped, pulling back and teetering on the chair, her feet coming out from under her as she began to fall.

Kurei darted to her, throwing his arms out and catching her before she hit the linoleum, turning so that he hit the kitchen floor first and padded her impact. The air knocked out of him, the boy lay there a moment, Kairi moving on top of him to look down at him in surprise. "Kurei!" she exclaimed, "What are you doing here?" Realizing he had just saved her in mid-air, she asked while looking down at him, "Are you okay?"

"Fine!" he wheezed, sitting up as the magenta-haired girl crawled off of him, her arms wrapped around her bandaged ribs as she tried to still her racing heart. "What were you doing up there?" Kurei asked, looking the girl over for any sign of trauma, rubbing the back of his head where it had slapped back against the tile.

"I was trying to get some medicine, I don't know where Taso put my pain meds." She replied, looking over at him apologetically. "Thank you so much for catching me, I don't know what would have happened if I had hit my ribs when I fell..."

Kurei nodded, getting to his feet and offering her a hand. "It's okay, I'm glad I decided to come see you. That could have ended badly."  
She took his hand, standing up slowly and tilting her head to look at the tall boy. "I haven't seen you in forever; have you gotten taller?"

"I could say the same about you," the boy replied with a teasing smile, "when did you fill out?"

Blushing, Kairi swatted his arm, rolling her eyes and looking above the refrigerator again. "Could you get me some Tylenol or something? My ribs are killing me..."

"First off," the dark-haired boy replied, "that is _not_ where Taso keeps her medicine." He reached up and closed the small door, walking past Kairi and motioning for her to follow. "She keeps everything behind the mirror in the bathroom; I'll help you look for your meds while you hobble over."

"Har har..." Kairi said, sarcasm heavy in her tone, smiling over at the boy as she did just that.

While Kairi took her sweet time creeping across the carpet and towards the bathroom, Kurei searching the house for any sign of a new prescription bottle or a white medicine bag from the pharmacy. Frowning when he was unsuccessful, he walked back across the living-room to Kairi (who had _almost_ reached the bathroom) and peeked his head inside the room she was headed towards. "There it is," he said, stepping inside and picking up the small white bag sitting on the counter by the sink, "she must have thought you'd be able to get to the bathroom and find them yourself."

"Slowly but surely." Kairi replied, sighing in relief when she reached the doorframe and leaned back against it to rest. "I am capable of moving, I just feel like the tortoise racing the hare watching you walk around so easily!"

Chuckling lightly he opened the bag, pulling out a small pill-bottle and reading the warning label on the side. "May cause drowsiness, do not operate machinery, blah blah..." He turned to face the girl who was watching him, continuing to read, "...take two pills every eight hours, not to exceed six pills in a twenty-four hour period...nausea may occur, take with food and drink..."

"Oh, please don't make me walk back to the kitchen," Kairi said with a slight whimper in her voice, clasping her hands together in a pleading manner, "You might end up having to carry me back to bed."

"I'll make you a deal," Kurei replied, handing her the prescription bottle, "If you can manage to get to the couch I'll take care of the food and drink, okay?" Smiling, he walked past her and towards the kitchen, calling, "Anything sound good to eat?"

Kairi, blinking, turned and began walking back towards the couch, "I don't know, what's she got in the fridge?"

Kurei, socks sliding lightly across the linoleum, moved the chair back to the table and opened the refrigerator, saying as he scanned its contents, "Looks like tuna salad, turkey, cheese, spaghetti, left-over pizza, spinach dip, banana pudding...man Taso needs to come cook for me sometime..."

"She's always been like that," Kairi said, laughing, "I can't cook at all but she could cook a four course meal every night for a week and not repeat a dish once." Sighing affectionately, she sat down on the couch, drawing her feet up to rest on the pillows beside her. "She's so perfect."

"She'll make some lucky man really fat someday." Kurei replied teasingly, Kairi laughing, the boy grabbing a bottle of orange juice and setting it out on the counter. "Want anything? You want me to check to see if she has any soup in the pantry?"

"Soup does sound kind of good, tomato soup and grilled cheese..." Kairi said thoughtfully, stomach rumbling as she let her mind wander. She laughed, embarrassed, and rubbed her tummy. "Is that okay? I don't want you to go through too much trouble on my behalf..."

"Grilled cheese is one thing I do actually know how to cook for myself," Kurei replied, "I'll get right on it, can you find the remote?"

"Yeah," she replied, reaching over to the other end of the couch where the small device was half-buried under a pillow. She turned the television on, catching a glimpse of her reflection in the dark glass before the lights flickered on to reveal Comedy Central. For some reason she thought to herself she looked happier than before, a light blush crossing her cheeks. Kurei was so sweet, funny, and easy to get along with; she was so glad he had popped in to check on her. One of her greatest fears was being alone.

The boy turned on the stove-top, retrieving bread, butter, and cheese, then poured a glass of OJ and took it to Kairi. He offered it to her, saying, "Take your pills now so they'll start to kick in, I'll bring you your food once it's done."

"T-Thank you..." Kairi said softly, blushing a bit deeper than before. Why was she suddenly feeling self conscious, this was Kurei! She's known him since she was little. She admitted she hadn't seen him in a while, and he did seem to have grown...how old was he now, nineteen? Glancing over to the kitchen and watching the boy walk back and forth, his purple-blue bangs half-hiding his golden eyes, she found her heart was pumping faster. She turned away, taking a drink, opening her pills and popping two in her mouth, then swallowing them down quickly. There was no way she was crushing on her cousin's best friend, no way...but then… Was that throbbing sensation the pain in her ribs? Or her fluttering heart?

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

Zack pulled the edge of Cloud's boxers down slowly, the blonde boy blushing as he tried to relax, the older boy smiling down at him and chuckling softly. The younger boy's muscles flexed against Zack's fingertips as they trailed down his abdomen and hip, trying not to breathe hard at the thought of what was about to occur. Just as those amethyst eyes caught his and Zack's hand dipped lower a knock sounded at the front door, halting the boy's actions. Blushing furiously, Cloud searched Zack's eyes, wondering if he was going to answer the door or ignore them and continue. The older boy searched Cloud's in turn, leaning in and kissing his lips lightly, acting as if he were going to keep going until the knock sounded again. Growling in frustration the older boy got off the bed, looking back at the blonde and holding his pointer finger up, telling him to give him a moment and he'd return. Letting out a sigh Cloud let his head fall back, staring up at the ceiling, trying not to be too embarrassed at the obvious bulge in his jeans. He'd never been so turned on in his life.

-x-x-x-

Opening the door, Zack met eyes with Yazoo, the blue-eyed silver-haired keyboardist of _One Winged Angel_. Smiling at him apologetically, Yazoo asked, "I'm sorry to bother you, but did Seph come by earlier?"

Blinking, Zack replied, "Yeah, what's wrong?"

Yazoo shifted his weight from one foot to the other, eyes flitting away from the dark-headed boy as he contemplated what he was about to say. "Sephiroth and Kadaj got into a fight earlier this afternoon and now we can't get a hold of him on his cell and don't know where he's gone." He looked back to Zack, searching his purple eyes. "He mentioned he had gone to see you somewhere amongst all the shouting, I didn't know if maybe you would know where he had gone..."

Zack thought a moment, crossing his arms across his chest. "Knowing Seph he's probably running around town; somehow screaming fan-girls makes him feel better about himself when he's upset."

Yazoo nodded slowly, the musician's eyes softened, and he said, "I'm sorry...about what happened between you two."

The dark-haired boy smiled, searching Yazoo's eyes. "It's not your fault. Tell Loz and Kadaj I said 'hi'."

Yazoo turned and walked off, waving, and made his way back to his car. Zack watched him go, letting out a heavy sigh, then shut the door and returned to Cloud.

-x-x-x-

Cloud looked up when he heard the front door shut, Zack walking into the bedroom and smiling down at him as he crawled back onto the bed. "Did you miss me?" The older boy said teasingly, leaning in and nuzzling the boy beneath him, Cloud giggling and wrapping his arms around Zack's neck.

"Yes," the blonde replied, pouting, "Who was it that interrupted us?"

"Yazoo," he replied, amethyst eyes glinting with a mix of amusement at Cloud and frustration at his ex-lover, "he was looking for Sephiroth."

Cloud blinked, confusion knitting his brow. "Is there something wrong?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary." Zack said, rolling his eyes, "Seph's having a temper tantrum about what happened between us earlier this morning, and I'm fairly sure he has a gig tonight. His band-mates think he's dissa-"

Another series of knocks started at the front door, this time louder and angrier than before. Zack's eyes narrowed, an exasperated sigh gusting loud from deep in his throat as he got up off of Cloud and walked into the living room to deal with the distraction. The blonde boy sat up, sighing lightly, standing up from the bed and pulling his pants back up; going to the bedroom doorway to watch his lover shoo away the knocker. Judging from the look across Zack's face when he opened the front door this was _not_ going to be a pleasant conversation.

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

The monitor scanning Naminé's heart rate began beeping wildly, the girl twitching in her unconsciousness, eyes moving wildly in panic behind closed eyelids. A nurse walking by noticed and called for help, dropping her folders and racing to the thrashing girl. "We need a crash-cart in here!"

Two other nurses and a doctor ran into the room, dragging a crash-cart behind them. "Hurry up, she's not going to last long!" One of the nurses shouted, reaching over to take the girl's pulse as the doctor prepared to restart the patient's heart if he needed to. "What happened? She was stable! I checked on her less than ten minutes ago!"

"She's dreaming about something, look at her eyes! Doesn't that mean she's coming out of her coma?" Another nurse asked, holding down Naminé's arm and trying to inject her IV with something to calm the girl's thoughts.

The doctor watched carefully, the beeping beginning to settle down as the drugs started to take effect on the small blonde, and replied, "I can't explain this. Go tell Cid what has happened."

The nurse nodded, moving to dispose the needle then walked out of the room and down the hallways quickly. What was going on?

-x-x-x-

Tasogare watched the trees carefully, her vision going black and white momentarily before turning back to color. "Shiloh," she whispered, reaching for her brother through her mind, clasping the key in her hands tightly, "Something's wrong. What's happening?"

A solitary word echoed through her temples in response; " _Chaos…_ "

Tasogare's eyes went wide, her mind filtering through their link and looking through the ghost's eyes, watching the weakening grip Shiloh had on the girl's hands. She was being eaten by her dreams. "Tell her to snap out of it! Tell her it's all in her head!" Taso said frantically. "Pull back or it'll suck you in too!"

" _I can't let go…absorb her spirit…_ " he said back, his inner waves choppy and scattered, " _…damage would be irreparable…_ " He grunted, pulling hard against the all-consuming void, gritting his teeth as Naminé screamed in fear. "Naminé!" Shiloh said pleadingly, the albino's pink eyes blinking in slight shock, tears streaming down her cheeks, "I'm here to help you, calm down. I can pull you out but you have to stop panicking. It drains me…"

"P-please…" Naminé choked, squeezing his hands tightly as she swallowed down vomit. "Don't let me go…"

Shiloh, his teeth bared and eyes blazing gold as Naminé stole the last of his strength, replied fiercely, "I'm not going anywhere."

-x-x-x-

Doctor Cid walked purposefully back up the hallway the nurse that had come to fetch him had passed down mere minutes before, fists tightened around a clipboard that held Naminé's stats from the moment she had first been placed in his care. Night terrors in the middle of a coma were impossible, for in order for someone to have a night terror they would have to be in a conscious state far more elevated that a catatonic mind-set. What the nurse had just witness and related to him was impossible. Long white lab-coat billowing out behind him as he turned the corner leading to his patient's room, the older man's eyes flickered over the two nurses and other doctor who were watching the blonde girl closely. "Tell me exactly what happened," Cid said to the other doctor authoritatively, "There is no way that girl could have had a nightmare so strong it brought her out of her coma."

"No," the man replied, "look, it's as if it never happened."

Cid's eyes scanned the monitors reading Naminé's vitals. She was definitely back in a catatonic state. "Who saw her crashing first?"

"I did…" The first nurse said; the young woman looking up from Naminé's bedside. "The alarms were going off; I even called for the crash-cart just in case. She looked like she was going to flat-line."

Narrowing his eyes, knowing there was no way the nurse could have made a mistake on this matter, crossed his arms and looked down at the petite blonde before them. "What dreams must you be dreaming, to have such a strong reaction as this…" The man was silent for a moment, then turned away and said over his shoulder as he walked out of the room, "I want someone watching her at all times. This phenomenon must be explained." Affirming calls echoing down the hall after him, he crossed the lobby and reached for a phone behind the receptionist's desk. He had to call the girl's family and tell them what happened. If she had come out of her coma from a night terror there was a chance she would wake up again after all. Maybe she was sleeping just beneath the surface. He had to give them hope.

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

Yuffie and Demyx dance-danced for four songs straight before the perky dark-headed girl screeched and grabbed at her calf muscle. "Cramp cramp cramp!" She hopped for a moment, trying to shake the Charlie-horse out, before sighing exasperatedly and swinging down off of the platform. "Time-out!" She insisted, Reno walking over to her so she could use him for leverage. "I need hydration!" Flailing her arms towards the front of the arcade, she said in an out-of-breath manner, "Powerade…that way…"

Reno, wrapping an arm around her with a look of motherly concern escorted her in said direction, the small girl hopping at his side comically. Vincent was watching the two fussing friends walk away with a pained look, undoubtedly trying to keep himself from laughing. Zexion made no such effort to hide his amusement, doubling over as Demyx finally finished the dance and punched the air victoriously, exclaiming, "I finally won one!"

Axel, laughing, clapped slowly in a mocking manner, Riku holding onto his arm tightly. "Way to go, Dem; you danced exceptionally well in the later half. I wonder…why is that?"

The blonde boy shooed away his comments as if a fly were buzzing around his head, swatting the air back and forth as he stepped off of the machine. "One small cramp for Yuffie, one much-needed win for mankind."

"From all that howling I wouldn't call that cramp _small_ ," Riku said, reaching up to rub his ears, "I'm not quite used to her outbursts yet but honestly, is she always this…"

"Flamboyant?" Zexion offered.

"Annoying?" Demyx asked jokingly.

"Loud?" Axel said, laughing lightly.

"…hyper?" Riku replied, shaking his head at the other boy's playful comments. "I'm so used to being around a quiet, calm little sister. Yuffie's on a whole other level, completely!"

Green eyes shining in the light of the arcade games surrounding them, Axel moved to take Riku's hand, squeezing it lightly. Even now, surrounded by friends and laughter, the boy was still thinking about his sister. Sighing inwardly Axel realized that he too would be doing the same if he were in Riku's position. Axel's thoughts shifting from visions of Naminé's smiling face to the grins of the boys around him, the red-headed boy leaned in and nuzzled Riku's ear, asking gently, "Well, until Yuffie comes back, do you want to try it out?"

Blinking and peering up into the darkness in the direction of Axel's voice, Riku cocked his head to the side slightly, "Try the game?"

Axel made an affirming noise, stepping forward and towards the parallel pedestals, Demyx and Zexion watching with interest. The older boy guided Riku's hands to the guard bars, watching the younger boy touch his knee to the edge of the footpad and swing gracefully underneath the bars and onto the platform. He pushed himself up onto his feet, unseeing eyes flitting across the darkness and listening as Axel too his place next to Riku. The blind boy reached over and guided his hand through open space until the red-head reached over and clasped his fingers, saying with a slight giggle to Riku's nervous look, "Relax, it's supposed to be fun! I'll go easy on you, I promise."

Scowling lightly, the boy pulled his hand away and replied with a grin, "Just don't cry when I beat you, Mr. Rock-Star."

Demyx and Zexion let out a few laughs, the two friends beginning to cheer as Axel inserted coins then pressed a few buttons to start the next dance. "You can do it, Riku!" Demyx shouted, Zexion rolling his eyes at his friend and crossing his arms over his chest.

"Well Riku, if you can't beat Axel I'm sure you'll be able to out-dance Dem." He cut his eyes over at the boy beside him, who was sticking his tongue out defiantly, then returned to his energetic cheering.

"Give it your best shot!"

Riku, sighing and trying not to let the voices of his friends distract him too much, listened carefully to the countdown sequence and the chimes of the buttons on the floor, stepping unsure at first the gradually increasing his pace when the game called out its approval of Riku's correct steps. Axel was watching the boy with a smile, impressed but not completely surprised. Riku was amazing; it seemed there was nothing he couldn't do if he just put his mind to it, blind or not. He never ceased to amaze.

Half-way through the song Yuffie limped back to the others, Reno at her side laughing and trying to keep her balanced. The energy drink she was holding was obviously too much for her small body to take but she kept sipping at it anyway, telling him seriously that it would fix her leg and she'd be back up on the stand as soon as it kicked in. (She also made a strange comment about hippos wandering around the city, but that was Yuffie for you. Not to mention she'd believe just about anything Selphie said.) The girl chatted merrily at his side, commenting on how Riku had asked her to tell him what the different sounds of the game meant, and now how well he was doing. Reno listened and watched, eyes dancing between Axel and Riku, smiling at the looks his little brother was giving the other boy. Axel was so into Riku, he wondered if Riku knew already or if it was something the boy would find out with time. The older red-head held his breath when the blind boy attempted a double-trouble and teetered slightly, but Axel immediately reached out a hand and steadied him, laughing and smiling at the pale boy beside him. Riku was laughing twice as hard, continuing to dance, holding onto the rail with one hand and clasping Axel's hand in his other. Eyes softening, Reno watched the two with interest before Yuffie caught his attention. "…so totally don't know what's gotten into Zexion. It's like he's jealous or something."

"What did you say?" The boy asked his peppy dark-eyed friend.

Yuffie looked up at him, sipping at her drink, then repeated, "You know, Zexion! He's been acting all weird around me lately but he's been trying to hide it." She made a disapproving sound. "Like I wouldn't notice? It's like he's jealous that I've been spending so much time with Demyx."

Reno looked over to the blonde and silver-haired boys, standing together as they play-fought and cheered on their companions. He had wondered about Zexion and Demyx's relationship being more than just platonic before, but the older boy had never made a move, and the younger boy was just too oblivious to even think about it. "What would he have to be jealous about?" Reno asked, looking over at the girl questioningly.

She blushed, looking away with a slight pout. "Well, I kind of kissed Demyx in the hall earlier…"

"What?" the red-head exclaimed, Yuffie shushing him and looking around to see if anyone had noticed. Vincent had glanced back and was giving them the "raised-eyebrow look", but other than the silent college student none of the other boys had seemed to notice. Reno, jade eyes flickering as a grin crossed his face, said a bit more subtly, "Details Yu-chan, I want lots of delicious details."

Pout crossing her face again, she replied, "Well there really wasn't much to it, he didn't seem to be too into it but he didn't say anything about not liking it."

Reno thought a moment, returning his gaze to Zexion and Demyx, then to Axel and Riku. He could see Zex and Dem being together, but they had been friends for so long and nothing had happened, so more than likely nothing ever would. He voiced this observation to his young friend, waiting for her brain to whirl around that long enough for it to sink in.

"Maybe," she finally said, taking a breath and chugging the last of her energy drink, letting out the breath when she was done, "but then again, no one's ever tried to claim Demyx for themselves, have they."

The older boy shrugged but nodded. It was true, the two boys were inseparable. With Yuffie thrown into the mix they would either have to accept the third wheel or Demyx would cast off Zexion to be with her. Either way he highly doubt the slate-eyed boy would go down without a fight, and who knew, maybe Yuffie getting close to Demyx would trigger Zexion into action if there were indeed feelings there lying dormant beneath the surface. Sighing and trying to tune out that drama so he could refocus on the young love playing out between his little brother and Cloud's, the jade-eyed boy watched Riku and Axel with a smile. They looked so good together, so comfortable, so complete. He only hoped that someday he would be able to find someone out there just like that for himself.

-x-x-x-

Just as the dance ended, Riku panting as he steadied himself against the hand-rails, an excerpt of an _Evanescence_ song jingled from his pocket. He reached into his jeans and retrieved it, clicking the talk button as he pressed it to his ear and asked quizzically, "Mom?"

Axel, who had been watching the screen display their almost matching scores, turned and let the smile fall slightly from his face. Riku's mother was calling him? But why… Demyx walked up, saying something in a cheery, loud voice, but stopped when Axel held out a hand and gave him a serious look. The blonde let out a small "oh!" when seeing Riku was on the phone, Zexion walking up to his side as well.

Riku didn't say anything for a while, just listened to the sound of his mother's voice on the other side of the line, then suddenly exclaimed, a panic-stricken look across his face, "But she's okay, right?"

The red-head at his side swung down from his _D.D.R._ pad, noticing people were starting to gather, walking over and tugging Riku's free hand gently. The younger boy unconsciously squeezed the offered hand, allowing the older boy to pull him down and help him off the stand gently. Wrapping an arm around his waist, Axel lead Riku out of the arcade as the blind boy continued to listen intently to his phone, the others following after them while exchanging confused looks. By the time Yuffie, Reno, Vincent, Demyx, and Zexion had all managed to squeeze out of the jam-packed arcade and find Riku and Axel, the red-headed boy had the pale boy pressed against a wall, talking to him and trying to calm Riku's harsh breathing. The younger boy looked like he was about to pass out, hyperventilate, or both.

"What is it, what's wrong?" Yuffie asked worriedly, "Did something happen?"

Riku, shaking and clutching his phone, had his head pressed back against the wall, trying to still his fluttering heart. "What did your mother say," Axel whispered gently, "Is Naminé alright?"

The blind boy reached out, fisting Axel's shirt in his hands and drawing the older boy to him. Axel complied, wrapping his arms around Riku's trembling shoulders and rubbing his back soothingly. "She said," the younger whispered, "that Naminé almost flat-lined earlier. Something happened…she almost died, and the doctors can't figure out what caused it."

Axel, crushed, squeezed the boy to him a bit tighter, whishing he could shield Riku from the pain he was experiencing. "She didn't though, right?" Axel said softly, trying to encourage the younger boy.

"No, she didn't, that's what's so strange about the whole thing." Riku replied, pushing Axel back a bit and looking up to where he knew emerald eyes must be searching his ghost-blue. "Mother said that the doctors though Naminé must have been having a Night Terror, and apparently if she was in a coma she wouldn't be able to have a bad dream like that…"

The others were listening intently, piecing together what had happened, Vincent saying gently, "If your sister was capable of suffering from something on the conscious level in which Night Terrors occur, there's no way her mind could be stuck deep enough to remain in a catatonic state. She shouldn't be in a coma if she's having nightmares."

Everyone turned and looked at him (even Riku blinked in his direction), and Vincent coughed lightly, looking away. Reno, sighing and smiling lightly, said in response to the older boy's synopsis, "That's a psych major for you."

"It's true though," Riku said softly, "that's what doesn't make sense. She was in a coma, and then she had nightmares and wasn't in a coma, but now she's slipped back into one again like the Night Terror never happened." Axel looked down at the boy in his arms; Riku's face a mix between sadness and joy. "I don't know whether I should be upset at the fact that she almost died again, or be happy that her dreams are so bad they're bringing her back out of her coma." Pressing his face to Axel's chest, squeezing his cell lightly between his hand and the red-head's shirt, whispered with tears in his eyes:

"I'm really starting to believe it; she's going to wake up."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! More to come!


	13. Mistake

Needless to say Axel and Riku were walking down the hallways of the hospital, searching for a nurse to take them to Naminé's new room. They had moved the girl after her incident to a higher level of the hospital. It unnerved Riku to think about it, as if she were slowly creeping towards heaven, if there even was such a place… Holding Axel's hand tightly, Riku followed after the boy, wishing more than anything he could see with his own eyes and help look for his little sister. More and more the blind boy was starting to think he was completely useless; he couldn't function without clinging to someone for support, couldn't walk without bumping into something accidentally, couldn't do anything besides brush his fingertips across the wall and reach up to run his pointer finger across the brail under the door name-plates they passed.

Axel was watching the younger boy carefully, concern shining in his eyes. He had thought Riku was going to pass out earlier at the mall but he looked more stable now. The red-head wondered as he flagged down a nurse if the pale boy was truly alright to just pretending to be.

In truth the phone call had been so strong a shock that now, walking down the corridors of the hospital, Riku was prepared to face what lay ahead of him. His mother had warned him that they might not be able to stay for too long, but Riku didn't care. He just wanted to run his fingers along Naminé's pulse-line. It was a reassurance he needed. If he couldn't feel her fluttering heart beating beneath his hand he thought his own heart would stop. Shaking slightly, he allowed the older boy to pull him in close, looking up when he heard the boy begin to speak.

"We're looking for a girl, she was moved to this floor recently…" Unsure of what he could say to make the woman understand who he was talking about, Axel added, "She's a patient of Doctor Cid's."

The nurse nodded, "This way."

Axel, holding the younger boy's hand as they followed after the nurse slowly, whispered softly, "It's alright. She's okay, Riku."

The blind boy hadn't realized he had been crying, reaching up to feel a tear streaking down his cheek. "I know…"

Heart clenching at the choked way the other boy had spoken, Axel wrapped his arms around the younger, sobs shaking the blind boy's shoulders. "Shh… Riku, don't cry…"

Reaching up and circling his arms around Axel's taller frame, clutching the back of his shirt, Riku buried his face in the older boy's chest. "I…I'm so scared for her! S-she doesn't deserve any of this…" He hiccupped lightly, Axel stroking his hair.

"I know, but she's okay…"

"For right now!" Riku said, a bit louder than he should have. Axel looked over to see someone had peeked out of their room, the red-head scowling at them until they took the hint and went back inside. "I just…" A choked laugh escaped his throat, "I don't want her to die, not without seeing her again. I know I can't, but…"

Tears stinging the corners of his eyes, Axel kissed the younger boy's forehead, drawing him in close. Mind racing, emotions threatening to overflow alongside Riku's, the older boy tried to think of anything he could do to help the boy in his arms. Axel wanted to protect him so much, Riku meant everything to him…

"Riku."

Axel looked over his shoulder down the hallway, Riku still clinging to his chest as he cried. A blonde woman in heels stood watching them, eyes darting appraisingly between the two boys, a strange light flitting through her eyes. Realizing the boy hadn't heard her, the older whispered to the younger, "Your mother's here."

"Mom?" Riku asked, pulling his head up and wiping his face.

The woman walked up to them slowly, giving Axel a questioning look at the way he was holding her son and her son was holding him in turn, the boy blinking at her expression. _Don't tell me his parents are against things like this_ … She let the evaluative look fade from her eyes as Riku pulled away from Axel and reached out for her, the tall, pale blonde holding him gently against her. "Come on dear, I'll take you to see Naminé."

"She's doing okay?" The boy asked, sniffing and looking up towards her voice.

The woman led him off down the hallway, nodding while saying, "She's fine, they're watching her carefully and giving her sedatives for her dreams."

Axel watched them go, unsure if he should follow after them or not. Riku's mother didn't know him, didn't know what was going on between them or how they felt about one another, but from the way she had looked at him he wasn't sure if she should find out. Was that a look of motherly concern, or had she been trying to determine if they were being too comfortable with one another? People like that, who would judge someone else's relationship when they are in no way a part of it, burnt him up inside. They had no right to tell anyone else who they could or could not love.

Riku, stopping all at once, turned back and called, "Axel, aren't you coming?" The confusion in his voice made the older boy's heart jump.

"Y-yeah!" he replied, trotting to catch up with them, hesitating only for a moment when the younger boy offered his hand before taking it in his own. The blonde woman noticed, eyes once again meeting Axel's, but this time she acted as if it was nothing and continued on. They turned down another hall and through some swinging doors, then into the first room on the right. Bleeping monitors rang through the room, a blonde man looking up from where he sat near the foot of Naminé's bed and standing up to greet them. Smiling at his wife before turning to Riku, he opened his mouth to speak but suddenly noticed Riku and Axel's hands, the warm look falling from his face. Riku's father looked over at Riku's mother questioningly, anger flickering within the light in his eyes, but she shook her head sternly. So they _did_ have a problem with Axel, the older boy realized, but they either wouldn't say anything around Riku, or around Naminé. Not to mention a nurse and Doctor Cid had just walked into the room.

The nurse walked past them to go check on Naminé, the older man flipping through several sheets of paper before looking up and saying, "She is doing better, the stabilizers we gave her have been keeping her heartbeat level and her mind out of danger. She has a slight fever but we're sure it will break soon. In regarding what happened earlier, nothing indicates something like that will occur again but we have her under twenty-four hour surveillance just in case."

"Nothing was…damaged earlier, right?" Riku's father asked.

Doctor Cid shook his head. "It's highly unlikely there was any permanent damage, it was more a scare than anything. The nurses were alarmed but it's only because this is something we've never seen before. Because of the fact that your daughter was able to have a series of Night Terrors it is highly likely her consciousness is capable of resurfacing. Although it is said that comatose patients do have dreams it shouldn't be possible to suffer from Night Terrors when in such a mind-set."

"So she could wake up soon." Riku's mother added.

The doctor nodded to her in affirmation. "Let us hope so."

While the three adults continued to talk about different details of Naminé's condition, Riku leaned in and said softly to Axel, "Will you take me to her? I want to touch her…"

Axel's eyes softened, whispering back, "All right."

Guiding him past the conversing adults, Axel and Riku stepped over to Naminé's bedside, the young girl still bruising profusely though the redness seemed to have darkened to a purple-black. That meant she was healing, didn't it? Riku reached out, brushing his hand across the white linen sheets until he reached her leg, trailing up to her side and finding her hand. Careful to avoid tubes and bandages he curled his fingers around her palm tentatively. "How does she look?"

"She's bruising," The older boy answered, "but other than that she looks fine." The albino's girl's pale hair looked as if it had been brushed recently, pulled over her shoulders and flowing down her hospital gown that was almost as white as she was. Her face wasn't peaceful, but she didn't look as if he were in pain. Her fair brow was creased slightly as if she were fighting to awaken from her troubled dreams, Riku clinging to her hand tightly. Axel looked over his shoulder to Riku's parents, then turned back around and whispered to the younger boy, "Should I not hold your hand while we're around your parents?"

Blinking, Riku shifted his gaze towards warm cinnamon, asking, "What? No, it's fine. Why?"

Axel shifted his weight from one foot to the other nervously. "They just keep looking at me like I've got the plague."

Thinking, Riku whispered, "I mean…I don't think they would have a problem with us…" He blushed lightly, reaching over and holding Axel's arm with his free hand. "I've never really thought about it before. I remember when I was little and Cloud first started getting into goth/emo stuff they threw a fit, but I thought it was just because they were worried he'd get mixed up in the wrong crowd."

Arching his eyebrows and chuckling lightly, Axel replied, "Maybe that is what they were afraid of, but it wasn't the crowd you were thinking it was."

Worry evident in his ghost-blue eyes, Riku searched the darkness at his side. "I don't want them to say I can't stay with you."

"I won't let that happen." Axel said, entwining his fingers with the younger boy's. "You're not staying by yourself through all of this. That's just stupid."

Smiling, traces of worry still flickering in his eyes, Riku turned and looked down towards his sister, the familiar scent of caramel mixing with antiseptic making his stomach turn uneasily. They stood there a while, Riku holding Naminé's and Axel's hands, chest pounding. He'd already had his most important person in the world taken from him, he wouldn't be able to stand it if Axel was taken away from him too. Suddenly realizing something, Riku turned around, asking loudly, "Where's Cloud?"

Axel watched as the adults turned to look at them, Riku's mother and father exchanging a glance thought he wasn't quite sure if it was because of the younger boy's question or the fact that they were again holding hands. Finally his mother said, "We haven't told him yet. Why don't you go outside and call him, dear?"

Turning slightly towards Naminé, squeezing her hand and whispering a soft "wake up soon", Riku smiled over at Axel and nodded.

The red-headed boy understood, leading Riku back through the room and out into the hallway after the blind boy said goodbye to his parents and made them promise to call him again if anything happened. The older boy deliberately turned to meet eyes with Riku's mother before they started walking down the corridor however, asking in a perplexed tone, "It's still alright that Riku's staying with me?"

The husband and wife exchanging a glance as Axel followed their eyes, the blonde woman nodded and smiled softly at him. "Take care of him. Call if you need us." Her husband looked rather pissed off but didn't say anything, merely turned to look at his daughter. Axel and Riku's mother locked eyes for a moment longer before the green-eyed boy nodded to her.

Riku, blinking at the conversation and Axel as the other boy suddenly began to walk, followed after him in slight confusion. He supposed Axel was just checking to see if she really had been giving him looks earlier, but she had still said it was alright for them to stay together…so everything was fine wasn't it? If only he had seen the look on his father's face, he would never have had just foolish notions. There was definitely going to be a heated conversation between his parents sometime later behind closed doors.

Axel however had noticed the look, pulse twitching angrily in the side of his neck and temple. He slowed his steps when he realized he was practically dragging Riku, turning around and looking down at the boy with a soft, pained expression. He didn't want to cause any problems for Riku, he hoped his parents would eventually understand and leave things be, but the way Riku's father had acted as they left… The older boy wasn't sure.

They walked slowly the rest of the way down the long hospital corridors, the pale blonde sensing something was amiss but not wanting to pry Axel about it. Did he really think Riku's parents were bothered by seeing the two boys holding hands? Could they so easily tell it was much more than the way Naminé used to guide him, that they were indeed closer than friends? Blushing lighting, the boy wondered what his mother had thought earlier when she had seen Axel cradling him against his chest as he cried. He squeezed the older boy's hand in his own, the red-head looking down at him and smiling. They walked through the front doors and out into the warm afternoon air, Riku searching for his cell-phone for a moment before retrieving it from his pocket and dialing his brother's number. He had more than just Naminé to tell Cloud about.

-xxxo0:O:0oxx-

Zack's violet eyes narrowed, taking in the sight of the young man before him. "I thought I told you the next time I saw you I'd kill you."

"Look, I don't want any trouble," he replied, peeking past Zack and seeing Cloud walking up behind him, "I just wanted you to know that Sephiroth and I aren't seeing one another anymore. I don't know if he's already told you, but I wanted to tell you myself."

Cloud's heart almost stopped. This was the man Zack had caught in bed with Sephiroth? Zack leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms over his chest. "I don't care if you're with Seph or not. I'm with someone, I'm happy with him, and I'd like for you to leave."

Shifting uneasily from one foot to the other, the man said softly, "He talks about you a lot you know, he misses you. He regrets that night."

Cloud could see the way Zack was shaking lightly, shoulders tense and face drawn taunt. He stepped up to the older boy, touching his back gently, trying to offer him some sort of comfort. "I don't regret that night, I'm glad I caught him in the act before I had actually married him." The dark-headed boy replied, searching the eyes of the man before him, acutely aware of Cloud's hand against his back. "Now please, leave."

The man remained a moment longer before nodding and turning to leave, saying as he did so, " _One Winged Angel_ is performing again tonight. I think you should go."

Zack didn't respond, just watched with dark eyes as the man walked down the sidewalk and got into his car, turning away from the door only when he heard the start of the engine as the car began backing out of the driveway. Cloud stepped away slightly, giving the older boy room enough to turn towards him and shut the door behind himself, leaning back against the hard wooden slab and looking up at the ceiling. The blonde boy didn't say anything for a few long moments, then tentatively reached out a hand and touched Zack's chest. "Are you okay?"

"Hn…" Zack mumbled in soft affirmation. Slowly letting his head drop, bringing his eyes from the ceiling to meet Cloud's shining blue irises, the violet-eyed boy stepped from the doorway and wrapped his arms around his lover. "Let's go back to bed." He said softly, the blonde watching him carefully as the older boy led him back into the other room, crawling over to the mattress and laying down on top of the sheets.

Cloud took his place beside him, drawing his knees in slightly as he lay facing the other boy, searching his eyes. Hesitantly, the younger boy reached out and gripped the fabric of Zack's shirt, pulling lightly as he analyzed the passing emotions crossing his face. There was such a mixture of anger, sadness, and confusion that Cloud wasn't sure which feeling was overpowering the others. Zack looked up when he felt the tug on his shirt, smiling at the blonde before him, stretching out an arm and pulling the younger against him gently. Cloud complied, sliding forward on the bed until they were but a few inches apart, searching the depths of one another's eyes as if they'd never seen one another before. "Are you sure you're okay?" The blue-eyed boy asked gently, pressing his forehead to Zack's, wishing he could know for certain what the other boy was thinking and feeling. To be confronted by someone like that, with such a bad history between them… The younger boy couldn't imagine the rage and sorrow conflicting within Zack's heart; he ached just imagining the pain the other boy must be going through. The sad smile across Zack's lips did nothing to convince Cloud that he was all right. The blonde paused, then tilted his head and leaned in until their lips were almost touching.

Zack's eyes softened, his thoughts of his recent unwelcome visitor and Sephiroth fading to the back of his mind, leaning in to fully connect his lips with the boy beside him. He watched sapphire eyes slowly close as Cloud relaxed against the older boy's mouth, Zack leaning over him and pushing the younger boy back to where he was lying beneath the older boy ever-so-slightly. Their movements were light and gentle, tender in place of the passion they had shared before. Parting after a moment to look down at the boy below him, Zack said in little more than a whisper, "I'm sorry you had to be here for that, but to be honest I'm glad you where." At Cloud's confused look the older boy added, "I think you being here was the only reason I didn't just haul off and punch him."

Arching his eyebrows and smiling in an amused manner, Cloud said with laughter in his tone, "I was afraid you were going to if he hadn't left after you asked him to that second time."

Chuckling lightly, his worry slowly drifting from his eyes, Zack leaned down and captured the other boy's lips. Cloud, gasping softly, kissed the older boy back as his hands found their way up broad shoulders and into soft, dark hair. Breaking for air before reconnecting to one another, the younger boy shifted to where he was pressed more fully against the boy above him, pleasant friction building between them as their actions became more heated. Warm hands wandering his bare chest, the blonde boy trembled slightly, cheeks slowly turning red as wild thoughts ran through his mind. Remembering the older boy's words, " _I'm with someone, I'm happy with him_ ", had his heart pounding wildly. Zack, violet eyes parted slightly to watch the younger boy beneath him, kissed Cloud hotly, listening to the blonde pant then whimper as his fingers teased a nipple.

The boy turned his head to the side, blushing furiously, Zack moving his lips to Cloud's neck and nipping at his jugular. The older boy's eyes darkened mischievously, thinking to himself that there were just too many clothes hindering him from touching the boy beneath him. He pulled back, unwrapping his lover's hands from around his neck long enough to pull his shirt up and over his head, then returned to Cloud's arms. The younger boy was watching him, chest rising and falling at a quickened pace from his elevated heartbeat, the red tingeing his cheeks making his azure eyes sparkle. Their lips met in a deep kiss, Cloud moaning lightly, the older boy pressing into him as he moved against his lover's willing body. This was what he wanted, Zack thought with a smile; this pure, unadulterated feeling that was setting him on fire and possessing his soul. Cloud turning to look up at Zack with hazy blue eyes entranced him, the darker boy unable to keep himself from touching the blonde underneath him. He let his hands wander lower than they had before, brushing the younger boy's leg teasingly. He was amazed at how responsive the other boy was even though he still hadn't fully touched him.

Cloud's breathing was ragged, blue eyes peeking out from barely parted eyelashes to watch the older boy's movements. He couldn't believe he was this turned on, the sensation of Zack's hands, lips, and skin against his driving him crazy a millisecond at a time. When their tongues met amidst a deep kiss the blonde's mind started spinning, each sensation turning into a pinprick of nerve endings across his hot skin. He could feel Zack was as turned on as he was from where their hips pressed together, moving erotically against one another, building pleasant friction through their remaining clothes. "Zack…" Cloud panted, the older boy kissing him again, the hand playing with his leg moving up his inner thigh and brushing against the front of his jeans gently. Everything felt so good, so right…

Breaking the silence that had fallen over the apartment (save the sounds of the two boys making out), Cloud's phone began ringing loudly from his pocket, the two boys pulling apart and looking at one another. Zack, smiling down at the younger mischievously, moved his hand from the front of Cloud's jeans to the pocket, pulling out the small device as it sang merrily.

" _What have we done with innocence  
It disappeared with time, it never made much sense  
Adolescent Resident  
Wasting another night on planning my revenge…_

_One in ten…one in ten…one in ten…_

_Don't want to be your monkey wrench  
One more indecent accident  
I'd rather leave than suffer this  
I'll never be your monkey wrench…_"

Chuckling lightly, Zack handed the phone to the blonde, rising up to his knees and rolling off of the younger. Cloud, blushing at the fact that they were being interrupted again and this time it was _his_ fault, flipped open his cell phone and blinked when seeing the name of his caller. Eyes flitting from the name flashing on the screen to Zack, the lust in his irises changed to worry. He waited a moment longer before pressing the talk button, wondering what Riku would want to talk about at such an inopportune moment as this.

" _Don't want to be your monkey wrench, fall in, fall out,  
Don't want to be your monkey wrench, fall in, fall out,  
Don't want to be your monkey wrench, fall in, fall out…  
Don't want to be your monkey wrench…_" **(1)**

-x-x-x-

" _How's my favorite little brother doing?_ "

Riku smiled despite himself, replying, "I don't know if that counts, being as how I'm your _only_ little brother." He paused, then said, "I'm at the hospital with Axel, something happened with Naminé earlier, but she's okay now…"

" _What happened?_ " The older boy's voice was strained with concern. " _Where are mom and dad?_ "

"They're inside talking to the doctor." Riku replied, Axel at his side tracing his palm lightly with the tips of his long fingers. "They acted like they totally forgot to call you or something, so I came outside to tell you about it."

An exasperated sigh whistled from the other end of the phone, " _Well, what happened? She's doing fine now?_ "

Riku nodded into his phone, replying, "She had something called a Night Terror? It's like a dream worse than a nightmare, she almost crashed, but they've got her stable and are watching her closely." He cupped his hand around the phone, saying with a mix of worry and excitement, "They said people in catatonic states can't have Night Terrors. She could wake up sometime soon." Cloud was silent for a moment, voice low as he said something to someone other than Riku. Thinking of the other reason he had called his brother, Riku asked, "Are you with someone?"

" _I'm at Zack's,_ " the older boy replied, " _Why, what's up?_ "

"No, I mean, are you _with_ someone." The boy said again, trying to clarify his meaning with his tone.

Soft laughter followed by muted voices and another boy's laughter prompted Riku's heart to start pounding lightly. " _Yes, Riku, I'm dating Zack._ " The boy seemed to think to himself for a moment, and then asked, " _What's going on? Is everything okay?_ "

Blushing lightly, squeezing Axel's hand for reassurance, Riku asked, "Are mom and dad against…same sex relationships?"

-x-x-x-

Cloud's eyebrows furrowed, taking Riku's question and twisting it in his mind. What did his little brother need to know something like that for? Then it hit him; Riku and Axel were together. A soft smile crept across his lips, eyes softening. He thought something like this might happen from the way the two boys had been acting at the park, but for Riku to be so concerned about it that he would ask Cloud what their parent's take was on the situation… Riku must be pretty serious. "Mom's sort of okay with it, but dad…"

There was a long pause on the phone then Riku said, " _Axel said they were giving him looks earlier. What can I do, Cloud?_ " His tone was sad, lost. " _I don't want them to have a problem with Axel, you know?_ "

Cloud looked over to the boy at his side, violet eyes shining lightly as they met ever-flowing blue, bare chest rising and falling rhythmically with his breath. Riku had been staying with Axel? They really were serious. He couldn't imagine being Riku's age again and having to deal with his parent's drama over homosexuality all over again, nor could he imagine not being able to be with Zack, especially during a time like this. What would his father want Riku to do; stay at home in the dark by himself until Naminé came out of her coma? Smiling slyly, Cloud replied, "Riku, don't worry about it for now. If they say anything to you about not staying with Axel anymore act like it's no big deal and tell them you'll stay with me instead." Cloud winked at the other boy's smile. "I'll cover for you."

-x-x-x-

Smiling and laughing lightly, Riku said, "Thank you Cloud, really. It means a lot to me."

" _Eh, I've got to do something cool for you every now and then, it's like, big brother required._ "

Shaking his head, the younger boy replied, "Well, I'll keep you posted if I hear anything else about Naminé, okay?"

" _Sounds good; call me again if you need anything._ "

Leaning in and brushing against Axel's side, Riku replied, "Axel's taking care of me. Don't worry Cloud. Talk to you later."

The older boy made an affirming noise through the phone, said before he hung up, " _Bye, bro!_ "

Riku pulled the phone from his ear, clicking it shut and putting it back in his pocket. Axel stood at the younger boy's side quietly, stroking the other's fingers gently, knowing from the relieved expression across the blind boy's face that everything was alright now. "You want to go grab something to eat?" The red-head asked after a moment of calm silence, Riku looking up towards his voice.

"That sounds great." The boy replied, smiling up at Axel with searching ghost-blue eyes. "Where to?"

-xxxo0:O:0oxx-

Sora held Roxas' hand tightly, the blonde boy talking to his mother with fury burning in his eyes. They were standing in the living room, a fire crackling in the stone hearth behind a large tall-backed chair, Roxas' mother sitting atop the lavish cushions in the seat delicately. The lanky, eloquently clad mistress of the household listened and watched silently, her eyes flickering with a mix of malice and understanding. She didn't seem pleased that Roxas had brought such "trash" into their tidy little home, but she was listening to her son's plight nonetheless, the bruises and blood marring Sora's skin catching her eye more than once as the blonde relayed what had happened earlier. Roxas told her so many things that had happened in the past, so many fights and beatings and cuts and bruises and all around nonsense that had happened to his friend. He told her that now Sora's father had gone too far, and they had to do something to help him. Roxas' mother didn't seem to catch the fact that they were in more than just a friendly relationship, too concerned with the fact that this scrawny kid before her might accidentally bleed on her new carpets. She agreed after a moment of silence to let Sora stay with them, thought she didn't seem happy about it at all, only the soft light in her eyes conveying the warmth hidden somewhere deep within her closed-off heart. She said to avoid her husband and things should be fine. For all Roxas' father knew Sora was merely spending the night. Her husband wasn't home enough to notice how often the brunette would be there anyway.

She gathered her long skirt and walked past the two after she and her son were done with their conversation, pausing momentarily to take Sora's arm in her hand and look at his wound. The brunette watched her, shivering lightly, her long nails pressing into his skin as her eyes searched his blood-covered arm. She released him after a slight evaluation, walking past them and calling over her shoulder for Roxas to fetch some tweezers and pick out the remaining glass. She had to meet her girlfriends in town soon, and would be leaving shortly. They could call for take-out or eat leftovers in the fridge, they were not to venture upstairs, and if they were to watch television or play games they were to do so out of sight and quietly. That is, when she or her husband were home. As she grabbed her Dolce & Gabbana clutch and walked out the front door, she cut her eyes over at her son, giving him a small smile before leaving the two boys in the hallway alone.

Sora didn't realize it, but in Roxas' eyes that small smile meant despite her cold demeanor and distant air she was happy he had come to her and spoken to her, and that the younger boy was indeed welcome in their house. As the lock clicked on the door and her heels faded from their ears, Roxas turned to the boy at his side, face turning into a massive grin. "We did it, you can stay here." At Sora's questioning expression Roxas confirmed, "For as long as you want to." Giggling happily Sora jumped and threw his arms around his boyfriend's neck, their mouths meeting in a kiss that was more smiles than lips. Roxas pulled the younger from him gently, looking at his shoulder and saying as he pulled the brunette down the hallway and towards the kitchen, "Let's go find the first-aid kit."

Sora followed after the blonde, heart racing excitedly. He was out, he was free, he never had to go back to that horrible place again. Haunting thoughts of his father finding him or forcing him to come back home faded to the back of his mind, warmth pooling from where his and Roxas' hands were clasped to the depths of his heart. Roxas would never let anything happen to him, Roxas was his life. Roxas meant everything to him… Pulse warm and fluttering, like a bird, happiness bubbled up inside him. This was the beginning of the rest of his life, one out of the shadow of his father, one where he could better himself and be with the person he loved no matter what. Trying not to think about his clothes and books still being in the man's possession, he walked after the boy, halting at the edge of the kitchen as Roxas moved to shuffle through a medicine cabinet inside the pantry. He pulled out several things; gauze, bandages, and finally a small first-aid kit before turning and placing them on the kitchen table and looking over at Sora appraisingly. The brunette blushed lightly, asking, "Do you want me to take my shirt off?"

Roxas, catching Sora's blush, smiled softly and replied, "You don't have to, but it would be easier to wrap you up."

Sora nodded, using his good arm to pull up the edge of his shirt and weasel his hurt arm out of the fabric then pull the dirtied cloth up and over his head, his long chocolate spikes bouncing lightly as he did so. He laid his shirt across the back of a chair, turning to watch the blonde before him. Roxas' eyes immediately honed in on a set of dark bruises near the younger boy's hip and abdomen, stepping over to brush his fingertips across the circles. "Sora…" he said softly, a pained expression across his face. "When?"

Looking away slightly, Sora whispered, "A few days ago…it wasn't anything serious, they didn't show up until the next day." He smiled apologetically at the older boy, "I'm sorry, I just feel bad telling you every little thing that happens. I don't like you to worry."

Roxas wrapped his arms around the smaller boy gently, nuzzling his nose and pressing a kiss to his slightly-parted lips. "I'm never going to let anything happen to you ever again." Sora blushed at his words, the blonde boy searching his sapphire eyes with azure. "Now that I have you I'm not letting go."

Tears stinging the corners of his eyes, Sora leaning in and pressed his lips to Roxas' again, the boy kissing him back gently while being careful to avoid pressing against the younger boy's bruises or arm. A tear streaked forlorn down Sora's cheek. Everything Roxas did he did for him, how could he have been so blind? He had missed Riku, it was true, but Roxas was everything to him. Saying softly before he could stop himself, Sora whispered as he pulled away, "I'm sorry I kissed Riku."

Roxas blinked in surprised, brow furrowing lightly, "Sora, it's alright. I told you…"

"No, it's not alright!" Sora interjected softly, searching Roxas' eyes. "I shouldn't have, I wasn't thinking about you at all. I was being selfish and I could have hurt you. I'm so sorry."

Roxas opened his mouth to stop the younger boy, but the words faded from his throat. He made a small, soft sound of understanding then leaned in and captured the younger boy's lips again. If he couldn't convince Sora he'd forgiven him with words, he'd have to prove it to him otherwise. Reaching up to cup the back of the brunette's neck, Roxas tilted his head and kissed the younger boy deeply, Sora gasping lightly and trembling at the other's touch. The older boy hadn't kissed him this way before, he'd always been too cautious of pushing Sora away, but now it felt like it was the right time to press their physical relationship bit further. He teased the brunette's bottom lip with his tongue briefly, their breath mixing as they barely parted then rejoined in another kiss. Tongues meeting, Sora made a soft sound, face turning hot as the blonde pulled him against him a bit tighter. Roxas didn't care about Sora kissing Riku, it was in the past; it was forgiven. He had to make Sora understand that everything was alright, otherwise the boy would keep worrying about it and make himself sick all over again. The smaller boy resisted for a moment, unsure whether or not to let himself go, then moaned and pressed into Roxas, submitting to the older boy's touch. The blonde's cheeks lit up like fire at the sound, kissing the brunette deeper, reaching down and twining his fingers through Sora's belt loops and pressing their bodies more fully together. Heat forming in the pit of his lower abdomen, Roxas let his lips linger a moment longer before slowly pulling away, eyes parting lightly to meet Sora's flushed face, desire dancing in his eyes. He wanted to be with Sora more than anything else he'd ever craved before, he wanted to feel the younger boy pressed against him, listen to him pant and moan and call out his name… He pulled his hand away from the other boy's waist, Sora's hand still clinging to him, the younger boy's brain trying to process the pleasure it had just experienced. "You okay?" Roxas asked huskily, searching deep blue eyes.

"Mm-hmm…" Sora hummed, leaning in and kissing Roxas gently, tracing his lips over the older boy's before pulling away with a contented sigh. "I love you, Rox."

"I love you too, Sora," The blonde replied with a smile, brushing unruly bangs from the other boy's forehead. "Will you stop worrying so much?"

Sora nodded, smiling, looking down at his arm to see it was bleeding again slightly from where he had been embracing his lover. Roxas noticed as well, pulling back and turning towards the medical supplies on the table, opening the kit and pulling out a pair of tweezers. Sora walked over to his side, offering his arm, the older boy taking it in his hand and holding the younger boy still as his other hand wielded the small metal pair of tweezers. Sora hissed as Roxas pulled piece after piece of tiny glass shards out of his upper arm, fresh blood slowly dripping down to his elbow. Roxas pulled away when he was sure all of the glass had been dug out, grabbed a piece of gauze and pressed it to the cut-marks, telling Sora to told it there while he went and found a washcloth. The brunette nodded, looking down at the blood flowing down his pale skin as he waited for the older boy to return, cheeks hot as he remembered the way they had kissed before. It had been amazing, setting his whole body on fire. He hadn't known kissing could feel so good.

Roxas returned to him a moment later, laving the warm, damp cloth over his slightly-tanned skin until the rouge faded away, pulling Sora's hand back so he could dab at the brunette's cuts gingerly. He put the cloth and the bloodied gauze on the table, grabbing some peroxide and then Neosporin, pressing a fresh swab of gauze to the medicine and having Sora hold it there lightly as he slowly wrapped a medicinal bandage around the wound. Finally finished, Roxas inspected his work, asking Sora if he had wound the cloth too tight, the brunette shaking his head and replying that everything was fine. Roxas, smiling, gathered the first-aid kit and bandages and returned them to the medicine cabinet, throwing away the trash left on the table and wiping the surface clean with a dish-towel. "There, now that you're not bleeding everywhere," Roxas said teasingly, Sora giggling at him affectionately, "do you want to see my room?"

Sora nodded, Roxas taking his hand, guiding the boy down a picture-covered hallway and around a corner to a series of rooms on the other side of the house. "That's the game-room, the old office, the den…and there's my room." Roxas said, pointing down a small hallway past the game-room, the door at the end of the hall opened slightly. "My parents never come down this way anymore, after they build onto the house and added the living room we were in earlier, and the upstairs, they keep to themselves when they're at home. Mom saying all that about staying out of their way really wasn't necessary, it's not like they could hear us anyway even if we had the stereo cranked up to the max."

"So they just stay upstairs?" Sora asked, peeking into the game-room to see several game consoles, beanbag chairs, and a mini-fridge in the corner.

"Pretty much," Roxas replied, "and since I'm usually the only one here I try to spend most of my time with you." He smiled, stroking the boy's arm. "I guess I won't have to worry about being alone anymore."

Looking away shyly, Sora asked, "Where will I sleep?"

Roxas shifted, looking to the door next to the game-room, "The old office has been remade into a bedroom, so mother's probably thinking you'll stay there…" Roxas replied, catching the brunette's sapphire eyes, "…but you could always sleep with me at night."

Blushing but not looking away, Sora nodded, stepping closer and pressing his hands to Roxas' chest. "I know you told me not to worry, Rox, but what about my clothes and the money I've saved? I mean, what am I going to do about school tomorrow?"

"You mean all the stuff that's still at your dad's house?"

Sora nodded. "My books are there…I can't afford new ones, and you know the teacher's policy on losing your books."

"You lose 'em, you buy 'em." Roxas said with a sigh, "Or you just suffer without them." He reached up and rubbed the back of his head, blonde feathered spikes shifting slightly. "Well I guess there's just one thing to do then." He looked down at the boy pressed to his chest, smiling deviously at Sora's wide, blue eyes, "We're just going to have to sneak in and get them."

-xxxo0:O:0oxx-

As Naminé stole the very last strands of his strength the chaos pulled her in, Shiloh dove in after her, never letting go of her hands. The darkness consuming her mind wrapped around him in black chains, choking him, golden eyes flickering in the swirling twilight. Naminé was crying inaudibly, pink eyes barely visible through the light and dark engulfing her small frame. Everything was muted despite the rushing turbulence, Shiloh trying with all his might not to let her fingers slip from his hands. He could tell that somewhere Taso was calling for him; he could feel their connection tugging his essence back towards the stable realm in Naminé's mind, back to safety. He caught Naminé's eyes, the girl mouthing something to him in silence, her tears floating between them as if there were no gravity. He could barely lip-read the words she was trying to say.

"Am…I…dying?"

Finding his inner strength and curling it into a ball around his psyche, he unleashed a golden aura that pushed back the chaos and encased him and the girl clinging to his fingertips in warmth. Within the small, fluttering orb being swept through the twilight Shiloh was able to hear Naminé's soft hiccups and choked tears.

He pulled her towards him gently. "Naminé…"

Her eyes widened, searching golden shining irises and his semi-transparent frame. "I'm dying, aren't I?" She asked again, whimpering, tears swirling around the inside of their sanctuary like tiny jewels.

Shiloh shook his head, holding her hands, saying softly, "You're lost, but you're not dying. I'm here to take you home."

"H-home?" Naminé asked, sniffing, "you mean take me to heaven?"

The ghost-boy laughed lightly. "Is there such a thing?" The albino girl blinked, searching his eyes through pale lashes. "I mean _your_ home, with your family; in the realm of the living."

Face lighting up, Naminé asked, "You know how to get through the gate? How…?"

Shiloh smiled, eyes glinting amber as he pulled her closer and pressed his forehead to hers. "I know, because I am the key."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1)Monkey Wrench is by The Foo Fighters


	14. Noise

Yuffie walked silently beside Reno, the red-headed boy talking to Vincent and laughing happily. Ahead of them walked Demyx and Zexion, shoving one another playfully, the older boy scowling while the blonde shook his finger at him playfully. Was she the odd one out? Looking over at her friend and catching his green eyes, Reno puffed out his cheeks and furrowed his brow at her. "Yu-chan, stop being so emo! We're going to go make fluffable loveable teddy-bears at the new Build-A-Bear Workshop! Rejoice!" He smiled at her, wiggling his eyebrows. "I might make you something cute!"

Yuffie sighed, shoving her hands in her pockets and saying in a sulking manner, "Look at them, acting as if I'm not even here."

"I'm sure they know you're here, Yu-chan." Reno said, laughing and shaking his head. "Why don't you go walk with them?"

The petite almond-eyed girl looked away, watching the shops they were walking past slowly bobble by, her steps slow and deep. She didn't know kissing Demyx would make her feel so different about the boy, jealous even, glaring at Zexion's back as he chatted with the other boy. If he liked the blonde boy he should have done something about it a long time ago, she thought cattily, stepping up a few paces so she fell into step beside Demyx. "So, are you guys gonna make anything when we get there?" She asked perkily, smiling from ear to ear.

Demyx rubbed the back of his head, grinning, "That's what we were just talking about!" He looked over at his friend, the silver-haired boy rolling his eyes. "I still don't know if I'm making one or not, but I'm sure Zexi is!"

"Am _not_!" The older boy retorted, sighed exasperatedly. "You just want me to make one for you because you're too damn lazy to make one yourself!"

"Aww Zexiiiii…" Demyx whined, jutting out his bottom lip and batting long lashes over dusky blue eyes.

Zexion had to look away to keep from blushing, cursing himself inwardly. Usually the other boy's antics were something he could push down and shove away, telling himself they were nothing more than friends. But now, after he had been thinking for most of the day about the other boy in ways that were much more than friendship… He sighed, kicking himself mentally; glancing over at Yuffie to see the girl was looking at him with a small smirk. Zexion glowered, looking ahead as if he hadn't seen her expression. So that's how it was going to be? A competition? The girl obviously knew something was up, light flickering strangely in her dark eyes, glinting behind her smile. He'd never had to compete for Demyx's affections before, but the boy was completely oblivious. Zexion wondered, as they finally caught sight of the workshop on the far end of the mall, if Yuffie was going to turn into a problem.

-xxxo0:O:0oxx-

Cloud pulled the phone away from his ear and pressed the 'end call' button, sighing and looking over at Zack with a secretive smile. "He sounds happy."

Amethyst eyes dancing, the darker boy asked, "Would you have it any other way?"

The blonde sighed again, looking up at the ceiling, "I remember when I first began to wonder if I was gay; how strange everything was, how new that world was to me, and how disapproving our parents were." His eyes wandered back to Zack's. "I won't let them do that to Riku. He doesn't deserve their judgment."

Chuckling, Zack replied, "Well, I wouldn't worry about it too much, if they already went through it with you and couldn't change you maybe they won't be so hard on Riku, you know?"

Cloud made a soft affirming sound, turning to where he was facing the older boy, tossing his phone down on the sheets and wrapping his arms around Zack's neck. "Now, where were we?"

Zack reconnected their lips with a smile.

-x-x-x-

Husband and wife looked at one another, long and hard, making sure Doctor Cid was long out of earshot before they began their argument. "What the hell were you thinking letting them go like that?" The man asked, hissing as he grit his teeth together.

"Oh, come off it." The albino woman replied, tossing her long hair over her shoulder and crossing her arms over her chest. "There's no reason we shouldn't let Riku stay with that boy. They weren't doing anything wrong."

"They were _holding hands_ ; that doesn't strike you as odd? No red flags popping up in your head saying there's going to be a repeat of Cloud's adolescence?"

"Darling," the wife interjected, angry but calm, "There's no reason to suspect that Riku is gay. He's never shown an interest in boys…"

"Or in girls, mind you…"

"…and there's no reason we should make him stay at home alone in the house! He's _blind_ for God's sake! Without Naminé there he would be miserable." She shook her head, hair flowing as she did so, resisting the urge to tap her foot and resolving to chew her lip instead. "It's not always about what you want, dear. It's about our children living their lives the way they see fit. Being happy…"

"Being damned, more like it." The man said gruffly, loosening his tie and shoving his hands in the pockets of his slacks. "What are we doing wrong here, why can't our boys find nice girls to be with? What's so wrong with having a normal relationship with someone they could spend their lives with? Have a family with?"

"What's so wrong with our boys _not_ having normal relationships?" The woman replied, "Times have changed, things that our parents would never have accepted are easily being accepted in today's society. Interracial marriage, same-sex relationships; the tolerance has risen dramatically."

"Which just means it's easier for people to get away with murder." Her husband scoffed, sighing exasperatedly. They remained silent for a few long moments, and then the man asked questioningly, "You really think we should be letting him stay with that boy?"

"Axel," the wife replied, "His name is Axel."

"Yes, Axel; you think our Riku's going to be all right staying with him?"

Smiling, eyes soft, the woman replied, "I think he'll be just fine, darling. Whether Riku is…in a relationship with Axel or not I can't be sure, but regardless that boy is taking care of our son. He's helping him, guiding him, being with him whereas we cannot be." She nodded at her own words. "We should be grateful to him."

Another long pause filled the room, and then a loud sigh. The man looked over at his daughter lying in the nearby hospital bed, walking over and touching her hand fleetingly. Tears glistening in the corners of his eyes, he hummed softly, something years ago he had sung to her to put her to sleep on restless nights. After a while he paused, looking over his shoulder. "I'm losing them, all of them." He whispered softly.

"Oh…" The wife said with a soft sigh, reaching out and looping her hands around a strong arm, leaning her head on his shoulder. "You haven't lost them, dear. They're still with us. They always will be."

Shuddering, the only signs the man was weeping, her husband began humming again. The murmur caught in his throat now and again, turning the melody into noise, but still he hummed to her, reaching up and stroking long pale tresses from Naminé's forehead. His wife stood there silently, patting his arm now and again and humming along with him as they watched their daughter sleep.

-x-x-x-

Naminé searched golden eyes in wonder. "You're…the key?"

Shiloh nodded, one of her tears brushing against his cheek, cool and wet as it hovered within their orb. He held onto her gently, the girl clinging to him and waiting to understand. "You're trapped inside your own mind, Naminé. The gate in the forest, you saw it didn't you?" The albino girl bobbed her head up and down slowly; still unsure of exactly what the boy was telling her. "The house behind the gate, did it look familiar to you?"

"A house?" she asked questioningly. There had been something there, hadn't it? A feeling…like home…

Squeezing her arms gently, the boy replied, "There is something precious to you beyond those tangled woods, out of the chaos, through the gate. That is where your mind can resurface back into reality." Her eyes lit up, a choked breath escaping her throat. "I can be the one to open the gate, but you have to let me in. You have to trust me."

Her eyebrows arched upwards in a worried manner. "I don't know what to do…"

Smiling, leaning in and pressing his forehead to hers, he whispered, "Let me in, that's all you have to do. It's alright…"

Naminé watched Shiloh close his eyes, reaching up to cup her cheeks with his small hands, and suddenly a strange sensation centered itself above her eyes and behind her ears. Her pink eyes widened, the sensation growing from a soft feeling to a hum then a buzz, warmth pooling from Shiloh's hands and moving up her cheeks to her temples. It was strange and hot, like honey in her mind, dizziness taking over her senses as she felt something pressing inside her psyche. The feeling resembled the beginning of a headache but she could sense a presence there silently comforting her, telling her it wouldn't hurt her. _Who is he? How can he know how to do all of this…?_

" _My name is Shiloh._ " A soft voice replied in her head, Naminé jumping slightly, the boy opening his eyes and searching hers silently. " _This may feel a bit strange, but I promise I won't look anywhere you have locked away. I'm just untangling memories so we can escape from this chaos._ " He could feel her tensing already, a thumb moving to stroke across her cheek reassuringly. " _Yes, I'm in your mind._ " He paused, trying not to laugh. " _No, I won't do anything like that. I'm not a pervert…_ "

Naminé blushed lightly, smile twisting up the corners of her lips. Shiloh settled back into her mind, heat moving through her skull as if shuffling through a file cabinet, golden eyes locked into her rouge irises as he separated her thoughts, memories, and fears. The chaos around their sphere slowly began to dwindle, their sanctuary fading until they were inside the twilight on their own, able to remain in one place without being swept away in the torrents of her mind. They knelt together, Naminé looking around, Shiloh blinking now and then as he continued to put things back in order, looking for the link she shared with her loved ones, the one that shone brighter than anything else within her glossy memories. That string would be one to lead her through the maze and allow her to resurface into consciousness. He could help her find it, grasp it, understand it, but she would have to be the one to walk through the gate in the end. He could be the key to the gate of her mind, but he couldn't guide her heart. He couldn't go back to the realm of the living.

Shiloh's eyes softened, finding that tiny pulse within her thoughts that he knew would lead her home and pulling it out of her slowly. Naminé gasped, squeezing her eyes shut, something along the lines of a hot brain-freeze sweeping through her and making her reach up to touch Shiloh's hands on her face. Pulling gently, waiting patiently for her to adjust so he could pull the link from her without it breaking, he uncoiled a tendril of remembrance and emotion from her mind. As the chaos faded completely they didn't find themselves back in the library.

Naminé's mind took them to a place at the heart of her memories; lake reflecting the moon and shining stars somewhere in a city Shiloh had never seen before. He moved back, pulling away from her, looking around at the houses and streetlights, and then letting his eyes settle on a large willow tree. To Naminé it was a scene from the night Sora had left them and Riku had lost his sight. To Shiloh it was a burning, blinding, swirling mix of emotions he could barely stand to look at. So many things were centered on this tree, the bark shimmering, the fronds flickering like candle light as they cascaded in waves down arched limbs and bows. There was such happiness intertwined with an immense sadness, then fear, the coppery taste of blood planting itself in his mouth. The blonde girl walked forward, looking around, reaching out a tentative hand to brush against the outermost leaves of the tall willow, eyes watering despite her soft smile. "This was where my brother fell." Naminé whispered, a cool breeze drifting out of the night sky. "I found him, right here…"

The night sky shifted from midnight blue to red, the scene freezing, the fronds swaying from the wind caught frozen in time. Shiloh watched her, the petite girl walking through the bows towards the center of the tree, then looking upwards through the thicker branches. The boy didn't say anything merely followed through the arching foliage, looking up through the leaves to see what she saw. In the middle of the trunk an orb of light swarmed, buzzing around something along the surface of the tree. _Something etched into the bark_?

The girl looked down at Shiloh, smiling, eyes reflecting her inner turmoil. "So many things are tied to this place. It is symbolic of our entire childhood; mine, my brother Riku's, and our best friend Sora's." She reached out a pale hand, pressing it against the glowing wood. "When we were little this was Riku and Sora's favorite place to play, they climbed this tree day in and day out. It was the one place where no one could touch them, their sanctuary; the place they could go to be together." Shiloh listened in silence, golden eyes watching the emotions on Naminé's face. "I wished more than anything that I could go with them and be as carefree and happy as they were, but I couldn't. Every time I walked the streets of our neighborhood people would tease me. 'Where you hopping to today, bunny?' or 'Do you want a carrot, little rabbit?' I couldn't stand it, that people who I had never thought to say anything hurtful to in my life would be so cruel for no reason." Closing her eyes, pale lashes brushing her cheeks, she laughed. "Just because I was different, that was it; that was their excuse for everything. I wasn't like them. So I stayed inside and kept to my books and sketches, and the boys would play inside with me but…" She patted the tree affectionately. "…I never went with them. I should have, Riku and Sora would have protected me from those other kids, told them to leave me alone or stick their tongues out at them and put themselves between me and those hurtful words. I wished more than anything I could come here and be with them, be away from everything else, escape with them. I wished for the longest time that my name was up there drawn into the bark too. I wanted to be a part of everything, but I was too scared."

She opened her eyes, forlorn look swimming in her pink eyes as she looked to the boy at her side. Shiloh locked eyes with her, searching, listening. There was something about this place, something within her memories that could guide her back home; this was what was in the innermost caverns of her heart. All he could do was wait and see if she could find the path for herself.

Taking a breath, she continued. "I began to resent this place, and in a way…" Naminé let out a sigh. "…I think I began to resent Riku. He was so perfect, such the older brother; free-spirited, energetic, unafraid of anything. And I was the little kid, trapped inside, lonely, afraid. It wasn't as if it was his fault I was albino, it was a genetic trait we both shared, but it hardly seemed to affect him. Where the kids at school picked at me they thought he was cool. It just made it so much harder to handle being so different from him even though we were almost exactly the same. He was nothing like me. I felt like I was in his shadow. Not to mention he played with Sora much more than I did, though we shared his friendship equally. When Riku was doing homework and Sora would come over he'd draw with me for hours until brother was done and could go outside to play. But then, sooner or later, they would always leave me behind. I think I started to hate him a little, wish that Riku was different too so that he would understand and not leave me behind, to know how much it hurt me." She let out a choked breath, tear coursing down her cheek. "And then, when I found out Sora was leaving weeks before he actually did, I never told Riku. It was something I had that he didn't have; that knowledge. I loved it, having something he didn't, something he wasn't a part of. Something that was entirely mine, like this place was to him. It hurt him so badly." She was crying now, fingers pressed into the tree to the point where her fingertips were turning white, other hand clenched at her side, Shiloh watching her with concern but didn't move, knowing better than to interrupt her now. "Sometimes I think if I had told him sooner maybe he wouldn't have run after Sora…maybe he wouldn't have climbed too far up the tree... Maybe if I hadn't been so selfish Riku wouldn't have fallen. Maybe…" She laughed, a broken, breathy chime, sobs shaking her shoulders lightly. "Maybe it's my fault that he's blind."

As her heart voiced her deepest thoughts the tree began to crack beneath her palm, loud and clear through the frozen red scene within her mind. As the lightning-like bolt seared up the trunk and branched off to various tree-limbs Shiloh took Naminé's hand, pulling her backwards away from the blazing light spreading from within the tree and out into the ground and sky, unfreezing time as it went. The gentle night wind turned into a full-force gale that whipped the willow's tendrils around them like a tornado, leaves spiraling around them as the tree continued to fracture into glass-like shards, levitating away from the glowing inner core. They moved and molded together, creating an arch-way out of shimmering bark and leaves, the light within the tree suddenly fading along with the wind, revealing a forest on the other side. "It's time." Shiloh whispered, pulling Naminé forward as he walked towards the arch. "You have found the thing inside you that is most precious to you, your relationship with your brother. If there were nothing else tying you to this world you would still not be able to free yourself from it, you would be trapped between like I am." Naminé followed after him, the small boy pulling her through the portal. "You cannot drift into eternal slumber when you have so much left to live for." He said over his shoulder, looking back at her with a smile. "You love him far too much."

Crying yet nodding, Naminé felt a weight lifting from her shoulders as she crossed into the forest, the archway closing and disappearing with a gust of wind once they had stepped fully though. "I've always felt so guilty about thinking like that when I was younger, what a cruel person I must be to wish such unhappiness on another person, let alone on someone as precious to me as my own brother. I've hated myself for such a long time and dedicated myself to Riku, trying to prove to him how much I love him, how sorry I am, though he doesn't have a clue I ever thought like that when I was a child. When I went looking for him that night and found him lying on the ground, that gash across his face pouring blood onto the grass, I instantly knew it had to be my fault. I felt so horrid; like I had wished for something like that to happen to him. I'd take it all back if I could, but I can't; it's irreparable."

Shiloh, knowing where he was now that they were back in the forest, guided Naminé through the labyrinth as he had Tasogare before her, leading her slowly towards the gate, back towards her world. The flowing light encasing her naked form was slowing dulling, her figure solidifying. She would be able to awaken soon. "What I feel from you now when you speak about your brother isn't guilt or loathing, it's love. Pure, white, untouched love. You do have regrets about your past, and things you feel responsible for that you shouldn't, but don't think that the only reason you love Riku the way you do is because you feel you have to compensate for something." Shiloh looked back at her again, pressing between tree-trunks and pushing away leaves. "You do the things you do for him because you know what it's like to be where he is; to be the freak, to not belong, to be alone in the dark without anyone who understands you. You have such a deep connection to him; the two of you understand one another so much. He will be the one who will find you once you've crossed the gate. You have to remember your true feelings for him and not associate them with the past. Naminé, you cannot change things that were said, you cannot give him back his sight, but you can be there for him like you always have been; as a loving sibling and friend in times when he didn't have anyone else but you. He means so much to you, you have to let your fears and sadness go."

"I know it's not my fault the branch broke, or he fell, I know that…" Her voice was sad, hurt. "But if I had told him about Sora sooner he wouldn't have been trying to climb to the top of the willow in the first place. I feel like my actions fueled his…"

Shiloh stopped walking, turning around to face Naminé, reaching up a hand to touch her cheek and searching through her mind for her link to Riku. He followed it, searched through memories, thoughts, looking for that night, and shook his head with a smile. "It wasn't you Naminé, he was thinking of something Sora had said to him about climbing to the very top. He was distraught and not thinking clearly and you were a _child_. If Sora had wanted to tell Riku beforehand he would have. Didn't he say something to you about not wanting to tell your brother he was leaving because he didn't want it to be true?"

Naminé hesitated then nodded. "Right before he left…"

"Then you have to stop blaming yourself for something that was fated to happen no matter what you did."

"Fate?" Naminé asked, rouge eyes searching gold.

Laughing lightly, Shiloh asked, "You believe in heaven but you don't believe in fate? Humans…"

Blinking in surprise, mind turning back to the questions she had wanted to ask before, Naminé asked, "Shiloh, what are you? You said you're the key…but what does that mean? How did you find me?"

Shiloh, eyes flashing red for a moment before fading back to gold, smiled and said gently, "I'm not sure if you would understand, Naminé, but I will try to explain." He sighed, dropping his hands to his sides and looking up through the trees, searching for the sky. "I am Tasogare's older brother. She's the one who came looking for you, I'm merely helping her. She said you were her friend and she needed to find you. She feels responsible for you being in a coma in much the same way you feel responsible for your brother's lost sight. It wasn't her fault that you were in the wreck that brought you here, but if you hadn't given her a ride home you wouldn't have been on the road at the same time as Kairi, and not of this would have ever happened." He nodded lightly. "Unless of course, you believe in fate, then everything has a purpose and happens at exactly the right time. Every movement, every thought, every heartbeat has meaning. You would be where you are right now no matter what happened before that could have changed it. It was fated to happen so it did. There is no cause and effect. It's all planned before hand, like meeting your true love."

Naminé's heart skipped a beat. She remembered now, the pain, the tumbling, the faint sound of her phone ringing somewhere nearby. She vaguely recalled Cloud's voice, then Taso's, and someone else in the background crying frantically. "You said I was in a car wreck…the person in the other car is named Kairi?"

"Kairi is our cousin. She was coming to see Taso on fall break. Everything that happened was a complete accident on all accounts."

"Unless you believe in fate?" Naminé asked, searching his eyes.

Shiloh chuckled, looking up at her, eyes shimmering. "Perhaps we were fated to meet, you and I. Perhaps fate and chance decided to let themselves intertwine and create this mirage that led us together somewhere deep within your mind."

"Is any of this real?" Naminé asked breathlessly, reaching out to touch the boy before her.

"Is anything ever real? Isn't it a matter of perception?" Shiloh asked; Naminé's hand pressing lightly against the top of his head, her fingers sinking inside of him as if he were fading. "I told you who I am, but not what I am." He said after a moment, eyes softening. "Are you sure you want to know?"

Naminé swallowed, nodding. "You saved me, you didn't let go. I want to know what you really are, Shiloh."

He took her hand from his head, holding it between both of his tenderly, locking eyes with her as he said softly; "I'm a ghost, Naminé. I was killed when I was a child." At the girl's horrified expression, Shiloh whispered, eyes glinting red, "I was eaten by wolves."

-xxxo0:O:0oxx-

Riku licked at the tip of his vanilla ice-cream cone absently, listening to the radio as Axel drove them back towards the mall. Demyx and the others would still be there, the older boy had reassured, and being out with friends would help Riku keep his spirits in high places and not think about things. Things like Naminé being in a coma, his parents acting weird, what exactly his relationship was with Axel, or if Sora was truly okay… Riku tried not to worry about Sora too much. Thinking about Sora made him remember the way the younger boy had kissed him, the hurt in his voice when Riku hadn't accepted his feelings, the pain of losing him all those years ago and almost losing him again once he had found him. He wanted to spend more time with Sora, he really did; he wanted to know about his life now and about Roxas and about everything that he had missed over the past few years. There was so much for them to talk about, so much to say… Axel reached over and touched his hand, Riku turning to look towards the other boy, smiling. "What is it?" he asked, twining their fingers together.

"Nothing," the red-head replied, eyes flitting from the road to Riku then back again, "you just seem kind of out of it. Everything's okay with your parents now, right?"

"Yeah, Cloud said mom and dad would be fine, and he has an uncanny way of being right about things." Riku sighed, shaking his head lightly. "Too bad, it makes him conceited about everything."

Axel chuckled lightly, viridian eyes dancing, the sun catching them turning them from deep emerald to acid-green. That was more like it; Riku seemed to be fine now. He wondered vaguely as he came to a stop-light what the younger boy had been thinking about to make him space out like he had been a moment before. He had thought the younger boy had been alright earlier when they had stopped for fries and ice-cream at Dairy Queen, but Axel could tell something was on his mind. Even now, as Riku turned back to licking at his cone, he seemed to be lost in a train of thought. "Are you sure there's nothing else?"

Blinking, the blind boy hesitated, then replied, "It's just…I was thinking about Sora. I left school like that without telling him…" His eyes were downcast, thoughtful. "He seemed so concerned in the hallway earlier, I've just been thinking about it. It's like…I used to know everything about him, be with him for hours every day, talk to him constantly and now I know nothing. He's…a stranger."

 _Sora…_ Axel sighed inwardly. He couldn't blame Riku for thinking about Sora; they had been best friends for years. Sora knew Riku better than Axel probably ever would, the older boy thought distastefully, but that was good for both Riku and Sora if not for him. The pang of jealousy he felt was quickly drown out by thoughts of how Riku would react if he came to realize that the Sora in existence now was not the sweet, innocent boy he had been separated from all that time ago. Sora was broken; beaten by his alcoholic father, abandoned by his mother, torn apart from the inside out over and over again. Not to mention he had tried to kill himself numerous times. What would Riku do when he finally felt the slanted scars across Sora's wrists? Axel didn't know if it was something the blind boy would be able to take, to not be able to look his best friend in the eye and see what he was feeling. Axel knew if it were him he wouldn't be able to stand it. Being blind…

Axel didn't know how the younger boy could accept it, how he could just take that as how life was going to be and not try to get corrective surgery and have a chance at sight again. It pained him that Riku couldn't truly look at him when he spoke to him, didn't know where he was when he was right beside him, had to rely on everything but sight to be able to 'see' the world around him. It was unbearable. How was it that Riku could live without something so essential in everyday life? He was a teenager growing up without vision, there were so many things he would never be able to do because of his lack of sight, because he was different, because some things you just can't do unless you can see. Riku put his family, his sister, everything else before himself. He didn't want to inconvenience his parents, he didn't want to have them worry about more hospital bills, Naminé needed to be taken care of more than he did…all valid reasons to accept the fact that for the moment he couldn't receive an optical remedy. They weren't, however, reasons that he could _never_ have corrective surgery, or a transplant, or something that would allow him to see again. The only thing truly keeping Riku from being able to see again was going to a doctor, finding out what he could do, weighing his options and coming up with enough money to do whatever needed to be done.

Smiling, Axel turned down a street and pulled into the front of the mall parking lot, backing into a space and turning off the engine, sitting there a moment. There had to be a way he could help Riku, something he could do for the boy. Axel was, after all, completely loaded, he lived in a mansion practically by himself, he had a closet full of extremely expensive guitars, and he drove a _hummer_! Not to mention the fact that his parents were very well known and that gave Axel an advantage on just about anything he could ever want in life. He was sure there would be a way for him to track down a doctor who could have a consult with Riku and tell him if there was a way to fix his sight, and perhaps he would even be able to help the younger boy pay for the operation. Heart fluttering and smile growing, Axel looked over to the pale boy and squeezed his hand. He liked Riku how he was, sight or no sight, but giving Riku back his vision was something he was more than willing to give the boy. If it would make Riku happy it didn't matter what the cost, he would offer it gladly. But it was something that, Axel thought with a sigh, the boy would never ask for; he never mentioned his blindness bothering him other than slight discomfort with his scar.

Riku looked over at him, taking a bite of ice-cream and smiling. "We going inside?" The younger asked, searching blindly for Axel's eyes. He caught them after a moment, the older boy's breath catching in his throat at the glimmer of blue-green hidden behind milky-white.

"Yeah…" The other boy said softly, leaning over and reaching up to cup Riku's cheek, the younger boy gasping lightly as Axel kissed him.

Riku, startled slightly, nearly dropped his ice-cream before kissing the other boy back. They pulled away from one another after a moment; the pale boy's face stark red, eyes soft and a smile playing across his lips despite his flushed expression. "What was that for?" he asked teasingly, clasping Axel's hand with his free one and licking at his cone.

"Because I can't resist you…" Axel said softly, pressing another kiss to the boy's lips, cold vanilla coating the younger boy's tongue. He whispered as they parted again, stroking his fingertips across Riku's neck, "You captivate me."

Pulse fluttering wildly, Riku searched the darkness, willing himself to see Axel looking back at him. What had it been about that time in the park that had given him back his sight if only for a moment? "Axel…" He breathed, the older boy making a soft, questioning sound in response. "Would you sing to me?"

Surprised, the red-headed boy leaned in, touching his forehead to Riku's gently. Axel smiled, parted his lips, and began singing softly while closing his eyes.

" _We watch the season pull up its own stakes  
And catch the last weekend of the last week  
Before the gold and the glimmer have been replaced  
Another sun-soaked season fades away…_

 _You have sto-_ " **(1)**

Slipknot screaming from Axel's pocket made both of the boys jump; their eyes opening wide, bumping their foreheads together lightly. Cursing and apologizing to Riku, the red-headed boy pulled his cell-phone from his pocket and flipped it open without reading the name. "What's up Marl?"

Riku rubbed his forehead for a moment, listening to Axel talking to his band-mate as he licked at his melting cone, feeling that the sugary-sweet treat had already begun dripping down his fingers. He licked a swirl up the cone and took another bite out of it then swapped hands and began licking the remnants of ice-cream from his fingers.

Axel was completely ignoring Marluxia now, too caught up in how turned on he was at watching the younger boy licking white liquid off of his own fingers. _Bad Axel, bad bad bad…_ He chided inwardly, attention jolting back to the phone at something the bass-guitarist had said. "What? They want us to perform at the park tonight too?"

" _Yeah, apparently_ One Winged Angel _'s gonna play again tonight, they wanted us and_ Saberflight _to warm up for them. From what I hear they're wanting us to play originals too. Maybe scouts are coming to watch?_ "

"Holy shit, you think?" Axel said excitedly, looking back over at Riku to see the younger boy was watching him curiously, eating the very last of his ice-cream and biting into the cone. "That'd be pretty amazing, is Larx with you?"

The sounds of shuffling came from the other end of the phone, Marluxia saying something to someone with him and then a girl's voice coming over the phone. " _Yeah, we're at the park already. Not like we have anything better to do._ " Larx said with a laugh. " _Don't worry about getting here anytime soon, Tifa and Yuna are the only two out of_ Saberflight _that are here yet. I think Yuna said Paine and Rikku are somewhere at the mall. Where are you?_ "

"I'm at the mall with Riku, everyone else is already here." Axel replied; smiling over at Riku as the boy listened. "I'll tell them about the gig tonight and meet you in an hour or so to figure out exactly what we're going to do, alright?"

" _Gotcha, see ya then._ " Larxene replied, saying something away from the receiver, Marluxia calling his goodbye from somewhere in the background before the blonde hung up.

Riku, shoving the last of his cone in his mouth, asked questioningly, "You're singing again tonight?"

Axel nodded, replying, "Apparently so." He laughed, saying happily. "Oh, man, this could be it. We could get discovered tonight!"

"That's so cool," Riku said, smiling too, "do you know what you're going to sing yet?"

"Not yet," the older boy replied, "We'll figure it out later tonight. This isn't something we can decide when we're not together. Come on, let's go find the others."

Riku let himself out of the car as Axel did he same, the boys shutting their respective doors and meeting at the front of the hummer, joining hands before walking off across the parking lot. Axel halted Riku at the cross-walk, the younger boy pressing against his back at the sounds of cars driving nearby, the older boy waiting until several had passed in front of the mall's main doors before leading the younger boy across the last stretch and to safety. Pushing open a door and stepping into the entrance, Riku stepped up to Axel's side, smiling as the red-head chuckled at him. "Don't let me hit anything!" Riku said, grinning. "I'd like to actually walk with you, instead of following you."

"I thought only boyfriends did that?" Axel said playfully, rubbing Riku's palm with his fingers.

"Well I thought only boyfriends kissed one another the way you were kissing me back in the car!" Riku replied, sticking out his tongue.

"I'm pretty sure you kissed me back," the older boy retorted with a laugh, moving to the side and pulling Riku against him to avoid another couple, "and I'm fairly sure that means you didn't mind me doing so in the first place."

Giggling, the younger boy linked his arm in Axel's. "Maybe…"

Axel smiled, pulling his phone from his pocket and texting Demyx to see where the crew was currently stationed. A few seconds later the device vibrated and lit up, telling him he had a new message. Turning so they were heading towards the opposite end of the mall, the cat-eyed boy said, "They're at the Build-A-Bear Workshop still. Apparently there's a heated debate on who's getting the last pink heart-printed monkey."

Laughing, Riku let out an exasperated sigh. "Only your friends…"

"Only _our_ friends," Axel corrected, and then added with a smile, "and I completely understand what you mean."

They walked together in pleasant silence, the radio playing through the mall from somewhere high above them, chipper voices and hard-core metal drowning it out when they passed _Hot Topic_. Making a mental note to come back later and do some shopping with Riku, Axel asked, "Is there anywhere you want to go before we go meet the others?"

"What are we passing?"

Looking around at various chick-apparel stores before spotting something interesting, Axel replied, "Have you ever been to _Nirvana_?"

Shaking his head, the boys crossed the mall and entered a shop on the other side of the corridor, the strong smell of mixed incenses filling Riku's senses when they stepped inside. "Whoa…" The blind boy said, staggering slightly as the wave dizzied his acute senses, Axel catching him before he could bump into another shopper.

"You okay?" Axel asked; concern in his voice.

"I'm fine," Riku replied, reaching up to cover his nose and mouth for a moment and take a few deep breaths through his makeshift filter, "I just wasn't expecting that to hit me as hard as it did."

"Eh, mon. Wat you looken fo?" A boy asked, Jamaican accent thick and warm in greeting. Axel looked from Riku to the boy who had spoken, dreads falling down his shoulders from where he was leaning on his elbows against the counter.

"Just browsing." He replied, the boy nodding and going back to sorting through incense bundles. Axel stepped past the counter and to the back wall, jars of incense stacked on various wooden shelves, mini figurines of Buddha sitting here and there between them. Riku, brushing fingertips against cloth, porcelain idols, and candles as he followed after Axel, picked up something from a table they passed. He pressed it between his fingers, trying to figure out exactly what it was; a circle with something hard twined in the pattern, a knot and string in the middle… It felt like soft rope but he couldn't quite place it.

"Axel?" Riku asked, the older boy turning to look at him as the younger offered the trinket in his hand, "What is this?"

"It's a hemp bracelet." The boy replied, taking it from Riku's palm and loosening the interlocking strings, slipping it onto the boy's pale wrist and tightening the knot back again. The hemp was died a deep vibrant blue, the stones woven within it a shining silver resembling mother-of-pearl. "You like it?"

Shaking his wrist, feeling the bracelet shifting lightly against his skin, the boy smiled. "Yeah, I've never felt anything like it. It's really interesting. Do you know how much it is?"

Laughing softly, Axel replied, "I'll get it for you, don't worry about it."

Blushing lightly, the younger boy looking up towards Axel's voice, Riku stammered, "N-no I couldn't…"

"Riku," Axel said softly, "let me buy it for you. It suits you." Face growing redder Riku nodded, clasping his other hand around the hemp bracelet, pressing it against his fingers as if to absorb the feeling. He didn't have long to be embarrassed before Axel had retrieved a stick of incense, holding it out and asking him if he liked it. The younger boy reached over until he met the other boy's hand, took the stick, brought it to his nose and nodded appreciatively. Cherry Vanilla, Axel informed him, it was Reno's favorite. Taking a small baggie from the side of the table and sliding the incense inside the older boy grabbed several sticks of Cinnamon and Lavender to go along with it, looking for anything new he hadn't used before. "Oh, you'll like this one." Eyes shining as he offered a black and blue stick to the other boy, Axel waited to see what Riku would think.

Inhaling gingerly, unsure of what to expect, Riku made a sound of agreement and replied, "It smells great, what's it called?"

"Fizzy Pop. Oh, smell this one too, it's good…"

And so for the next ten minutes or so Riku was subjected to being Axel's official incense-smeller, coughing at some nastier smelling sticks and urging the older boy to keep several others he enjoyed. They returned to the counter with a bag-full of incense, some with common names and some with stranger ones. The Jamaican-sounding boy said their names softly as he counted them up and entered them into the cash register, amused look on his face. "Fairy Dust, Lavender, China Rain, Green Apple, Isis, Mysteriosa, Night Queen, Pomegranate, Root Beer, Aphrodisia, Cherry Vanilla, Queen of the Nile, Tranquility, Cinnamon, Fizzy Pop, Awapuhi, and Chamomile." He looked up, meeting Axel's eyes, the red-head grinning. "You sure you don wan anytin else, mon?" The clerk asked, returning his grin. "Mite 'ave missed a few."

"Just this." Axel replied, taking Riku's arm and showing the boy across the counter the hemp bracelet he was wearing.

The other boy nodded, dreadlocks bouncing lightly, entering it into the computer and taking the card Axel handed to him. Lowering Riku's arm Axel linked his fingers with the younger boy's, taking the receipt, card, and small bag handed to him in his free hand. Nodding his thanks before turning and walking towards the exit the older boy led them back into the main stretch of the mall, Riku taking a deep breath when they left the thick-smelling air. "I can't believe how strong the incense was in there," The younger boy said with a sigh, "I was starting to get a headache."

"I do too if I stay in there for long." Axel agreed, sliding the receipt and card into his side pocket and then the bag of incense sticks into his back pocket, freeing his hands. He squeezed Riku's fingers lightly with his own, the blind boy smiling and shifting the bracelet on his right wrist absently, heart warm and giddy. Why was Axel so sweet to him all the time? He did so many things for Riku without a second thought. Blushing again, Riku thought to himself that this was what it would be like to date the older boy; going to the mall shopping, holding hands, getting embarrassed when the red-head insisted on buying him something. And all of it, everything, was so amazing. What was he so afraid of? Why hadn't he told Axel he wanted them to be dating, officially? Why had he hesitated? No matter what his fleeting thoughts had been before they were completely gone now, Riku pouting slightly at the fact that they weren't really boyfriends, just friends who were drawn to one another that way. _Ask me again…_ Riku thought, curling his hand into a fist so the tips of his fingers touched his bracelet. _Ask me to be yours…_

The two boys could hear Yuffie squealing in victory long before they reached the end of the mall. Smiling triumphantly as she held a pink monkey above her head, hearts printed over its entire fluffy body, the dark-haired girl exclaimed her victory to the world. Reno was rubbing the back of his head, laughing nervously at a glaring Build-A-Bear attendant, Vincent shaking his head. Demyx was laughing hysterically, Zexion rubbing his temples in a calming manner. Axel and Riku walked over to them, the blind boy chuckling at the girl's hyper tendencies while the red head locked eyes with Demyx. The blonde boy merely shook his head and continued laughing, tears dotting the corners of his eyes. "I never thought…I'd see the day…" The boy gasped, continuing to laugh uncontrollably, "That Zexion and Yuffie…would fight over…a pink…stuffed…monkey!"

"Come on, Yu-chan," Reno said, stepping away from the irritated clerk, "Zexion made it; it's his fair and square."

"But I'm the one who _wanted_ it! He won't even sleep with it at night and I will!" She said stubbornly, looking back at her friend with a pouting expression and jutting lip. "Besides, I managed to snatch it from him so I deserve to be able to keep it!"

"You should have seen it!" Demyx said to Axel once more, pointing between the silver-haired boy and the petite girl. "They almost knocked over a kid who was making a stuffed rabbit! The mother nearly had a conniption!"

"I'm surprised she didn't beat you two, honestly." Vincent said with a sigh, taking Reno's arm and pulling him after him. "Come on, before you get into trouble."

"But…I…Yu-chaaaaaan…" Reno whined, reaching back towards the younger girl even as the taller, stronger man pulled him out of the shop.

Yuffie and Zexion shared a look, scowling at one another, Demyx following after them as they walked over to Axel and Riku. "Is everything okay with Naminé?" Zexion asked Riku, slate-eyes looking from him to the red-head standing beside him.

"She's okay now." The younger boy replied, smiling. "She might even wake up soon."

"That's great!" Yuffie said, turning away from Zexion to grin at Riku, reaching over and taking his free hand. "Ooo! What's this? It's so pretty!"

"Axel got it for me…" Riku said with a small blush. "We went to _Nirvana_ before we came here."

"They've always got great stuff." Zexion said with a nod, Demyx putting a hand on the boy's shoulder to steady himself and wiping tears from his eyes, the last of his fit of laughter fading.

"Aaaaah…yeah. That's great. Naminé's okay, you did some shopping, and all is good in the world." Demyx elbowed his best friend playfully; Zexion's sullen look slowly changing to a happy grin, batting the younger boy away in mock annoyance. "Come on, Yuffie, give it back." The blonde boy said to the small girl, motioning for the monkey. She sighed, offering it to Zexion, who didn't have time to take it before Demyx grabbed it and ran off. "Finders keepers!"

"That's not fair!" Yuffie screeched, chasing after him. "Why do you want the monkey? It's _pink_!"

Axel watched them run down the corridor, passing Vincent and Reno on the way, the two exchanging a glance before laughing. Riku, reaching up and pressing his hand to his ear, said jokingly at Yuffie's shouting, "I think I'm bleeding."

"You're not the only one." Zexion replied as he shook his head, arms crossing over his chest. His expression said he was enjoying himself but his eyes proved otherwise, the brief light that had shone in them when Demyx had prodded him fading as he watched the two playing together. "I think he may actually like her."

"And that's a bad thing?" Axel asked, catching the sadness in the other boy's tone. Zexion didn't reply, Riku's hold on the red-head's hand tightening at their friend's silence. "Is there something wrong with Demyx liking Yuffie?"

"Of course not." The other boy replied, laughing lightly, giving Axel a fleeting smile before walking past them to follow after the others. Reno and Vincent had stopped at a small ring of couches and comfy chairs in the middle of the mall, sitting and talking. Demyx and Yuffie were running back towards them, monkey in tow, faces flushed from adrenaline.

Riku looked up searchingly towards Axel after the other boy walked away, a questioning expression across his face. "Is he okay?"

"I don't know." Axel said honestly. "I'll have to try to talk to him about it later. Now doesn't really seem like a good time…"

The blind boy nodded, fingers linked tightly with Axel's, the older boy walking towards their friends that had gathering around the circle of chairs where Reno and Vincent were sitting, talking and laughing as Yuffie stole the monkey back from Demyx and wrapped her arms around it in a death grip. The blonde boy at her side looked up at Axel when he and Riku walked over, asking, "So what are we gonna get up to now?"

"Actually we're gonna have to jet in an hour or so." The older boy said with a smile, "You all are welcome to come though."

"Where are you going?" Reno asked, the two college students turning from their conversation to look over at the boy.

"Well," Axel said with laughter in his tone, "Apparently _One Winged Angel_ is performing again tonight, and they want _Chakram_ and _Saberflight_ to warm up the crowd."

"Sweet!" Demyx exclaimed, pumping his fist, Yuffie clapping as well.

"Yeah, that's so cool! A second gig back to back, and at request!" She clicked her tongue, petting her stuffed monkey. "Sounds like you're moving up in the world!"

Laughing, Riku squeezing his hand, Axel replied, "Well, Marl and Larx did say they wanted us to do our originals so…"

Shouts of surprise and amazement went up from the group with the exception of Vincent, who seemed content to raise an eyebrow in surprise and cheer inwardly at the revelation. Reno gave Zexion a high-five while Demyx and Yuffie squealed at possibilities of what doing original songs may entail. "Scouts!" Yuffie said merrily, "There definitely must be scouts!"

"Yeah, there's no reason why they would tell you to do originals unless scouts were coming!" Reno said in agreement. "Oh my gawd, that's so hot!" He cupped his face in his hands dreamily. "My little brother, the rock-star…"

Vincent sighed heavily, brow arched in a comedic "why me?" manner. Reno sat beside him, oblivious to the other boy's disdain, sparkly things fluttering around his head happily. Yuffie was making her monkey clap excitedly, Zexion smiling as Demyx did an air-guitar solo, the blonde boy nearly falling off of the couch as he did so. "So I'm going to take that as a yes?"

"Yes as in do we want to go?" Demyx said as he pushed himself back further on his seat. "Like, duh? Wouldn't miss it!"

"I'm in." Zexion replied, nodding and smiling.

"Me too!" Yuffie squealed.

"I'll go get my pom-poms!" Reno said, standing up and striking a cheer-pose.

"No cheerleading outfits!" Vincent said gruffly, pulling his friend back to a sitting position and sighing again.

As Reno whined and Vincent shook his head the others started laughing, Riku wiping tears from his eyes as he tried to control his laughter. "I could totally see him standing in the front row, pom-poms in hand and wearing a skirt…"

Axel, laughing and looking down at the boy at his side affectionately, dipped down and kissed his neck. Riku blushed, giggling lightly and nudging Axel playfully. "What?" the older boy asked, the others beginning to talk excitedly about what to wear and who to call for the gig that night.

"You're teasing me…"

"I am not!" Axel replied with a chuckle, moving his hand from Riku's to wrap it around the younger boy's waist. "I would never tease you…well, at least not in a bad way…"

Blushing, leaning against the older boy's side, Riku whispered, "You are too…"

"Why do you think that?" The red head asked with a smile, cat-green eyes watching the boy's blush.

"Because you know by doing that it makes me want to really kiss you." Riku replied, flushing a deeper shade of red, fingers flitting along Axel's side.

Blushing lightly at Riku's words, heartbeat quickening slightly, the older boy looked over and said to their friends, "We're going to go window-shop. See you at the park?"

"Yeah! Have fun!" Demyx replied, Yuffie and Zexion calling their goodbyes and waving. Reno and Vincent were still in a heated debate as to why the older red-head couldn't wear his cheerleading outfit to the concert, but managed to call 'bye!' before Axel and Riku had walked too far back through the mall.

The two boys walked hand in hand for a while, both blushing, not sure what to say to add to their last conversation. Axel, walking them back towards _Hot Topic_ , spotted a shadowed hallway leading towards one of the emergency exits and had to turn away to stop the dirty images flashing through his mind. But wait…why not? It wasn't as if anyone would be able to see them, and Riku seemed more than willing… Moving before he could think too much about it and back off, Axel pulled Riku into the small hideaway and down the hall a bit so there was no way anyone would be able to spot them. He drew the younger against him gently, the blind boy blushing and pressing his hands to Axel's chest. "A-Ax…"

"It's okay…no one can see…" The boy replied, leaning in and ghosting his lips against Riku's. "Kiss me."

Blushing furiously, Riku reached up and put his hands on Axel's shoulders, one moving up to brush his neck and then his cheek. Riku hesitated only for a moment, his own words of how he had wanted to kiss Axel echoing through his mind, amazed at how the older boy was now offering himself to him… He pushed himself up onto his toes and pressed his lips against the taller boy's. Axel's pulse jumped, letting out a small gasp as Riku kissed him, pulling the younger against him and pressing his back against the wall of the hallway. So Riku had been serious, the older boy hadn't been sure when he had first heard his words. For the boy he wanted so desperately to finally be wanting him back set him on fire, Axel trying not to think too much about the way his jeans were growing tight, wanting more than anything to pull the younger boy more fully against him and discover if Riku was as turned on as he was. The blind boy moaned lightly as Axel swapped their positions, pressing the younger boy against the wall and kissing him deeply. He wanted Riku so much.

A light moan echoed from the far end of the hallway, Axel pulling away from Riku to look towards the emergency door. In the red light he could see two figures kissing, the taller figure's hands wandering the shorter figure's body. That wandering hand came to rest on the shorter figure's belt, unlatching the clasp and moving down inside low-riding jeans, a girl's voice gasping lightly at the touch. Blushing and looking away, seeing that Riku had heard her too and was looking down the far end of the hall as well, Axel whispered softly, "I think someone got here before us."

Chuckling softly, Riku nodded, looking up and searching where he knew Axel must be. "I don't really care…do you?"

A pang of heat coursed straight down Axel's spine and centered itself in his lower abdomen. Riku wanted to be here with him so bad that it wasn't embarrassing him that another couple was engaged in something nearby, and that there was a chance they might be seen together? The older boy's whole body was catching on fire, the read-head leaning in and whispering, "No…"

It was the first time Axel had really kissed Riku. Slightly rough, possessive, hot; the younger boy shuddered lightly as the older boy's hands danced along his hips and side. Chests pressed together tightly, Riku blushing at the fact that he could feel Axel's hoops through his shirt; they kissed until they had to part to breathe and immediately reconnected again. Riku couldn't believe how turned on he was. Battling for dominance, the younger boy pressed against the older boy's lips and brushed against Axel's tongue as the red-head kissed him deeper. Panting, they parted a few moments later, listening to the two strangers down the hall kissing as the girl began to moan erratically. "What do you think they're doing?" Riku whispered, blind eyes searching the darkness.

"I'm pretty sure he's fingering her." Axel said with a chuckle, mind wandering to what Riku's reaction would be if he pressed him against the wall and touched him the way that girl was being touched. It was hot, the thought sending another wave of heat down his spine, but Axel wasn't so sure if Riku would be willing to do something like that yet. Licking his lips, the older boy moved over the younger boy, reaching up and tilting his head to the side, lips meeting Riku's neck. The blind boy gasped, hands clenching Axel's shoulders, heat flaring in his cheeks as a pleasant chill swept through his body. From the way the girl's voice was rising and falling Axel might have been right, Riku thought to himself, his mind turning from the other couple to the lips currently sucking at his jugular. Moaning, he tilted his head a bit further, revealing a hint of pale flesh hidden beneath the collar of his shirt. Smiling deviously, Axel reached up and pulled Riku's hair away from his shoulder, kissing up until he met the younger boy's ear. "Riku…" he said softly, the other boy making a soft questioning sound. "Will you be with me?"

Smiling and pulling the older boy close, Riku replied, "Yes, Axel." He giggled softly, the older boy pulling away from him and searching his ghost-white eyes. "I've been waiting for you to ask me."

"Sorry to keep you waiting." The older boy said teasingly, kissing the younger gently. "So I'm officially your boyfriend?"

Blushing, unconsciously locking eyes with the older boy, Riku smiled. "Yes. You're my boyfriend. And I'm yours."

"Mine." Axel said with a chuckle, kissing Riku a bit deeper than before, lips lingering against the blind boy's as they parted once again.

"A-ah! Paine!"

Both boys started, looking down to the end of the hallway. The two figures were kissing again, the moaning girl's leg slightly raised, the taller figure's hand moving inside her jeans deftly. "Did she say…?" Riku asked softly, Axel's eyes wide as he realized who exactly it was at the emergency door.

"We should give them some privacy…" The singer said; trying not to listen as the older girl coaxed the younger over the edge, Rikku crying out as she reached her climax. The girl's voice was drowned out by the music blaring from _Hot Topic_ a few moments later, Axel pulling Riku along a bit quicker than was necessary. "I never realized they were together. I've known them for years…" The older boy said, Riku laughing lightly.

"So that _was_ Rikku and Paine from _Saberflight_?" Riku asked, Axel confirming his suspicions with a nod.

"Well, Yuna did say they were somewhere at the mall…" Axel said with a sigh. "I can't believe those two are lesbians!"

Riku burst out laughing, swinging their intertwined hands lightly; picking on the older boy about his obvious embarrassment. They walked the length of the mall holding hands, Riku reveling in the fact that he was finally dating someone, and if that someone just happened to be a guy, so what? Axel made him happy, and that was all that mattered. Not to mention he was thoughtful, funny, and an amazing kisser… He couldn't wait to see where his relationship with Axel would take him, his heart so full it felt like it would burst. Giggling to himself, he wondered fleetingly what Naminé would think when she found out he was dating Axel. She meant so much to him; he couldn't wait for her to wake up.

-xxxo0:O:0oxx-

Roxas held Sora's hand tightly, the brunette watching the blonde with scared, wide eyes. "It's alright Sora; no one's going to hurt you."

"But there's a chance he might still be awake. The game might still be on…"

"If he's been drinking since we left there's no way, he has to be passed out by now." The blonde boy said calmingly, stroking fingertips across Sora's cheek, trying to search his deep sapphire eyes. "I've never been in your house, I need for you to go with me so we can get your things and get out. I'm not going anywhere, okay?"

"Okay…" Sora said shakily, clutching his boyfriend's hand. They waited for a car to pass then darted across the street, hiding in the shadows of the trees beside Sora's house.

The blonde boy was watching him silently, trying to keep the younger boy calm by stroking his thumb against the back of his hand. "Let's go look in the window, see if he's in his chair."

Sora nodded, following after Roxas as the blonde moved forward against the tree-line. "What do we do if he's not there?"

"Wait, listen…" Roxas said, holding a finger up to his lips. Sure enough as they neared the window the sound of loud snoring could be heard, the two boys peeking in the side window to see Sora's father passed out in his chair, the television flashing in front of him, beer strewn about the room. "There, see? Let's sneak in before he wakes up."

Sora, trying to draw courage at the fact that Roxas was with him and his dead-beat dad was indeed unconscious, walked past the older boy and let himself in the back door. Roxas followed closely behind him. The kitchen smelt rank, flies buzzing around dirty dishes piled in the sink. It looked like Sora had been making some headway however, a small pile of clean dishes sitting on the table looking foreign amidst all the clutter. "Sorry about th-"

"Don't apologize." Roxas stopped him, pressing a hand against the boy's back reassuringly. "It's not your fault."

The brunette hesitated but then nodded. He had to get out of his "I'm-responsible-for-all-my-father's-fuck-up's" attitude; the man couldn't control or abuse him anymore. This was the last time he would be in this house. He was going to grab his things and get out, and he was never coming back. He was going to live with Roxas from now on. Roxas loved him, Roxas was going to take care of him; Roxas _mattered_ to him. Nothing about this lifestyle mattered to him at all. He was nothing but a slave to it, and now, he was free. Taking his boyfriend's hand, Sora led Roxas through the kitchen and the back part of the living room, walking past his drunken father and up the squeaky stairs leading to the second floor. Walking past the master bedroom and bathroom to reach his room, Sora wrapped his hand around the doorknob and took in a breath. He didn't know what Roxas would think, but it wasn't something he had time to worry about. They needed to get out of the house as quickly as possible. Explanations could wait for later.

Pushing open the door to his room, Sora stepped inside, Roxas following him in and leaving the door slightly parted. Azure eyes widened, looking around the room, whispering softly, "What is all of this?"

Sora, shifting uneasily, followed Roxas' gaze to one of the walls of his room. Clothes and several boxes were piles against the corner, but he knew that wasn't what his lover was asking about. He was asking what the hundreds of thousands of words and symbols were that covered his walls and parts of his ceiling, drawings scribbled here and there amongst the literature. "They're poems…" Sora replied, reaching down to pull his school books out from under his bed. "Well, some are song lyrics, others are parts of stories I've started and never finished, but most of them are poems."

"I never knew you liked to write…" Roxas said breathlessly, walking over and pressing his hand against a picture of a lightning bolt shattering a heart and reading the words around it. "Sora, this is beautiful, why would you never tell me?"

"For a long time writing was the only thing that kept me sane." Sora said softly, putting his books on the bed and moving across the room to dig through a pile of clean clothes. "I could find broken pencils and half-dead pens to write with, but I never seemed to have enough money to buy paper, so I began writing on my walls." He pulled out several outfits, crossing the room again to place them on the bed, and added, "After a while I sort of started to like it. It was like a wall of my words, my thoughts, surrounding and protecting me. So I kept writing." He laughed nervously. "I guess I sort of got carried away…"

Roxas wrapped his arms around him from behind, pulling the brunette back against him gently and burying his face in the back of Sora's neck. "I love you baby. I'm so sorry…"

"Sorry?" Sora asked, looking back over his shoulder with concern. "For what?"

Sniffing and looking up, Roxas replied, "I should have gotten you out of this place a long time ago. There must be so much you've never told me, so much you've had to write down because no one was there to listen and you had to get it out or you'd explode." His eyes were sad, his tone hurt. "Times when I wasn't there…"

"Roxas, it's not your fault!" Sora replied, turning around and cupping the blonde's face in his hands. "I wouldn't let you in, remember? You had to fight with me to get me to tell you anything at first. And this…" he gestured at the walls surrounding them. "This was something I never figured out how to tell you about. My sanctuary…"

Roxas pulled his boyfriend's hands down, pressing them against his chest so Sora could feel his heartbeat. "I'll be your sanctuary now. If you have something burning in your heart _tell_ me, okay?"

Sora, solitary tear streaking down his cheek, replied with a smile, "Okay."

"Wut the hell do you think you're doin'?"

Both boys turned to the doorway with a start, eyes wide as they took in the looming figure of Sora's father. The man was standing in the doorway wobbly, beer in hand, looking at the two teenagers with a sneer. "D-dad…" Sora stammered, pulling his hands away from Roxas as if he'd been burned.

The man looked between them, noticing the books and clothes on the bed, and coughed loudly several times as he croaked out a drunken laugh. "What are you plannin' on doin' boy? Running away?" He laughed again, beer sloshing out of his bottle and soaking into the carpet in large ovals.

Roxas, eyes darkening at Sora's scared expression, replied, "That's right." The man looked at the blonde with squinty eyes, mind trying to process his words. "He's leaving, and there's not a damn thing you can do about it you drunk bastard."

Sora's eyes went wide, turning to look at Roxas in amazement. "R-Rox, I…"

"Well is tha' so?" Sora's father said, stepping into the room a few steps, the blonde pushing the brunette behind him slightly. "And wut makes you think you can jus' talk to me like that, you lil' punk?" He jutted his thumb at his own chest, beer spilling from his bottle again. "I'm his father; wut I say, goes!"

"Not anymore." Roxas said icily.

Scoffing and coughing, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand, the man said, "Why you li-"

The blonde boy stepped forward, coming to a halt mere inches from Sora's father's face and searching bleary eyes. "You just try to stop us." He said through bared teeth, eyes flashing in anger. "You try to stop us and see what I do to you."

Blinking, obviously surprised that someone the same age as his son would talk to him in such a manner, Sora's father narrowed his eyes, taking a step closer, breath hot against Roxas' face. "Is that rite, huh?" He laughed, turning and walking towards the door, hacking as he walked down the hallway.

"Roxas…" Sora said, fear in his voice.

"Get your things, now." The blonde replied, watching down the hallway for any sign Sora's father was planning on returning. The brunette, face flushed and hand shaking, quickly grabbed a backpack out of his closet and stuffed it with clothes, what little money he had, and grabbed his hoodie and school books. Roxas, turning to look at him, asked, "You sure you have everything?"

Shaking slightly, Sora nodded, swallowing nervously. "I'm sure."

"Then let's go." The older boy said softly, reaching out and offering the brunette his hand. "It'll all be over soon. Come on."

Sora swung his backpack over his shoulder, shifting his books to one hand and taking Roxas' hand in the other, following the blonde boy out of his room and past the bathroom and bedroom. Gasping as they reached the top of the stairs the brunette said worriedly, "W-wait! I forgot my camera!" Roxas turned back to look at him. "I had it out for our photography assignment. I have to have it for school…"

Nodding, the blonde replied, "Go get it, quickly."

"Okay!" Sora called back, running back to his room and searching for his camera.

The creaking of stairs caught Roxas' attention, looking from the direction Sora had gone to the bottom of the stairs. His heart leapt to his throat as he realized what was happening. Roxas backed away from the stairs slowly, Sora's father walking up the steps one at a time, eyes locked onto the boy like a hawk. "Now, wut was it you were sayin'?" The man asked, slowly raising the rifle he was holding to a shooting position with a smirk. "Abou' see wut happens?"

"Got it!" Sora called from his room, Roxas listening in a panic as the boy ran back out of his room and to his side. "Roxas? Wha-"

As the drunken man pulled the trigger Roxas put himself between Sora and the bullet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1) Lyrics are Stolen by Dashboard Confessional


	15. Oblivious

Kurei had been with her for a few hours now, and still Kairi couldn't quite seem to wrap her head around exactly what she was feeling. Did she like Kurei? Really? She had always thought he and Tasogare would get together after the years they'd been friends, but it seemed like their relationship was nothing more than platonic. Her eyes wandered to the empty plate and soup-bowl sitting on the table nearby, smiling silently and glancing over at the boy beside her. He was sprawled over the other half of the couch, watching some comedian prattling on about global warming, chuckling lightly every now and then when something struck him as amusing. His golden eyes were flickering as they reflected the light from the television, dark bangs hiding them slightly. Kairi had to stop herself from staring. Suddenly Kurei looked over at her, catching her eyes. "What is it?" he asked, sitting up and searching her indigo eyes.

"N-nothing! I was just…thinking about Taso…" The girl replied, stuttering lightly. "You said you went to the library but you couldn't find her?"

"Yeah," Kurei said, sighing lightly as he settled back down against the cushions of the sofa, "But that really doesn't mean a thing. She could have been there stuck in a book somewhere and I could have walked right past her. She has a knack for disappearing without realizing it."

Giggling, remembering not to laugh too hard and hurt herself unintentionally, Kairi replied, "She does, doesn't she?"

The boy smiled and nodded, turning his attention to a meowing Miki, clicking his tongue at the tabby as she wandered over. "Hello kitty, are you hungry?" The gray cat arched her back and rubbed her head against the boy's offered hand, meowing loudly. She repeated this motion several times, voice vibrating insistently. "Okay, okay; let's go get some food." He swung his legs over the side of the couch and stood up slowly, stretching and sighing as Miki trotted off towards the kitchen. He followed after her, grumbling something about 'damn cats are so spoiled' as he did so, clicking his tongue and calling for the other two felines. Tailo, ever asleep, raised his head from where he was curled upon a chair nearby, seeming to debate as to whether eating or sleeping should be his priority for the moment. He lay back down until the rustling of cat food being poured into a bowl chimed from the kitchen, then the tom-cat jumped to his feet and trotted off. Jingling could be heard from out in the yard, Nyao climbing back into the house through the open window, the kitten running into the kitchen and sliding across the floor in her haste to beat Tailo to the food bowl.

Kairi, giggling as she listened, looked over her shoulder and watched Kurei retreat from the kitchen, scowl creasing his brow as he shook his head. "You okay?" she asked, smiling in amusement.

"Damn cats act like they've never been fed before." He said as he sat back down beside her, rolling his eyes. "I bet Taso's fed them twice today already."

"Tailo is getting pretty fat." Kairi replied, watching Kurei grab the remote and start channel-flipping. The boy made an affirming noise, looking over at her briefly with a smile, and then crossed his arms over his chest leisurely as his eyes darted to the television screen. "You still like this stuff, huh?" Kairi asked, noticing he was watching a Japanese anime series.

"I think it's something I'll never grow out of," Kurei replied, grinning sheepishly, "I've always loved anime. I've started collecting some of the manga series too."

Kairi pressed her palm to her forehead in an exasperated manner, laughing lightly. "You're such a kid!"

Chuckling, the boy replied, "You're the kid! How old are you now? Fifteen?"

"Sixteen!" Kairi replied, scowling. "I'm not that much younger than you!"

Kurei shrugged, reaching over and ruffling her hair playfully. The girl batted his hands away in mock annoyance, trying to hide her smile behind a frown. They settled into a comfortable silence, watching anime and glancing at one another when they thought the other wasn't looking. Golden eyes shifting, Kurei watched the girl at his side out of his peripheral vision, grin twisting his lips upwards slightly. It seemed like Kairi was growing up; out of the shy, awkward little kid he knew from years before into a young lady he barely recognized. When had she let her hair grow long, started to wear makeup, and gotten curves? Turning away before Kairi could catch him looking at her, Kurei pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind. Kairi was like a little sister to him; he'd never looked at her in any other way before and he wasn't about to start now. He was concerned for her well-being and liked hanging out with her, but more so than Kairi he was worried about Taso. She'd been gone for such a long time and still hadn't checked up on her cousin or returned any of his phone calls. Was she really still at the library? A sudden chill passed down his spine, Kurei sighing quietly. As a feeling of uneasiness washed over him, Kurei couldn't help but wonder exactly what Tasogare was doing, and why she always insisted on doing it alone.

-xxxo0:O:0oxx-

Axel and Riku arrived at the park a short drive later, climbing out of the red-head's hummer and intertwining their hands before they began walking across the grass towards the stage. It was in the same place as it had been the night before though the decorations were a bit more elaborate, a giant angel wing taking up the entire backdrop in honor of _One Winged Angel_. Various people in dark attire were hooking up power cords to sound equipment lining the stage. "Do you see anyone?" Riku asked Axel, squeezing the older boy's hand lightly.

"Not yet," the boy replied, "they're probably backstage practicing or cutting up with the girls from _Saberflight…_ "

"The girls that are here, that is." Riku added with a smirk, laughing lightly at Axel's exasperated sigh.

"I was surprised is all!" The singer defended, running his free hand through his fiery spikes, "Making out near other random people making out is different than knowing who it actually is!" He looked up towards the sky, saying dramatically, "I'll never look at those two girls the same way!"

"Oh, it's not that much different than me and you is it?" Riku asked, twining his arm in Axel's and pouting.

Chuckling, Axel reached down and tilted Riku's face up to his, kissing him lightly. "No, I suppose it's not." The younger boy pulled away, blushing lightly, small smile across his slightly parted lips. "It's one of those things where I've known those girls for so long…it's like walking in on your mom and dad when they've forgotten to lock the door." Axel shook his head. "Some things you just don't want to know about."

Coughing to cover up an amused snort, Riku nodded, Axel guiding them towards the ramps leading up the side of the stage. Nodding to several sound equipment guys and softly instructing Riku when to step over cords and boxes, they made their way across the open front platform and into the back of the stage; pushing aside heavy velvet curtains separating the front and back of the platform. "Hey Axel!" A male voice called from up ahead, Riku looking up slightly and searching the darkness with blind eyes, listening as Axel returned the greeting.

"Oi, Marl!" The red-head replied, thrusting his hand into the air in a wave. "Where's Larxene?"

"Talking to the girls," the other boy replied, jagged auburn hair pulled back into a low pony-tail, a few stray locks falling down his forehead and cheeks, "She's trying to find out who knows about why we're singing originals, and apparently no one's talking."

"Way to keep us on our toes!" Axel replied with a chuckle, pulling Riku close to his side as they stepped around a drum set and guitar stand, the younger boy holding the back of Axel's shirt for balance. "You guys decide on anything yet?"

Laughing, Marluxia stood up from where he was polishing his bass guitar, setting it against a nearby speaker, and walked over to his friend. "Not really. I think it would be sweet to do our jerk-off songs, but I don't know what vibe _Saberflight_ and _One Winged Angel_ want to put out, especially with the possibility of scouts." The slightly taller boy shrugged. "Still haven't decided if we're going on first or if the girls are either."

"They went first last night, so we should probably break the ice for them tonight, you know?" Axel replied, looking down at Riku who was pressed against his side quietly, clutching at his shirt. "Oh, you've met Riku haven't you?"

"Right! Did you ever figure out where Sora ran off to?" the older boy asked, tilting his head towards Axel and Riku's joined hands and searching the red-head's cat-green eyes.

Axel smiled, nodded, and looked down at the boy at his side. "Yeah, we found him after a while." The singer replied. "Saw him at school this morning with Roxie, everything seemed peachy-keen!"

"That's good." Marluxia replied with a smile, nodding approvingly at their joined hands and at the fact that Sora was okay. "Want me to go get Larx and see if she's found out the scoop?"

"Yeah sure…" the red-head said, then asked as the older boy began walking off to the other side of the back platform, "Oh, do you know where they put my guitar last night?"

"Yeah, it's behind those two cases over there, I grabbed it for you earlier." Marl replied, gesturing behind where he had been shining his bass a few moments before. "I thought you might need it."

"Thanks, Marl!" Axel called as the older boy disappeared out of sight, the red-head leading Riku over to a seat and then retrieving his guitar from where his band mate had pointed. He took the long, sleek warlock rhythm guitar from its velvet-lined case almost lovingly then walked over to Riku and sat down beside him. The blind boy, listening as Axel strummed at his instrument quietly, let the smell of old wood and cinnamon overpower his senses, mind falling into a calm lull. He loved being with Axel, loved doing anything with Axel, and though he was still a bit shy about people Axel knew that he didn't he was sure Marluxia and Larxene wouldn't be hard to get along with. After all, they had helped him out the night before when he had been separated from Axel even though he had been a total stranger. It seemed to Riku that sort of thing was common between Axel's friends; they all seemed to look out for one another. Riku wondered to himself if all of his years being reclusive after Sora left and he lost his sight could have been different, if he had opened himself up to people like he was now. Axel's friends were his friends now too, which was something he was going to have to get used to, along with relearning his friendship with Sora. The spunky brunette he knew and grew up with wasn't the boy that had kissed him the night before and held him in the hallway earlier that day. What was it that was so different about him now? What had he missed in all those years. Smiling to himself, Riku tilted his head slightly, listening as Axel sang softly and strummed his guitar.

" _We watch the season pull up its own stakes  
And catch the last weekend of the last week  
Before the gold and the glimmer have been replaced  
Another sun-soaked season fades away…_" **(1)**

"That's what you were singing to me before, in the car, isn't it?" Riku asked, glancing over at where he knew Axel must be.

"Mm-hmm…" the older boy replied, still strumming softly. "It's a work in progress, but I have most of it memorized."

"You wrote it yourself?" Riku asked, astonished. "It sounds like something professional, like off of the radio or a CD. That's amazing Axel…"

Chuckling lightly, Axel replied, "Well, I do try. Song-writing's a lot harder than people make it out to be. I'm picky about lyrics…"

"Hey boys! You will not believe who I just saw making out behind the stage!" a female voice squealed from backstage, Larxene giggling and running over to where the two boys were sitting. "Paine and-"

"-Rikku." Axel and Riku finished at the same time, both boys laughing at one another's tone.

"Whaaaaat?" Larxene exclaimed, hands on her hips. "And how did you two find out about this before I did?"

"You don't want to know…" Riku replied, Axel laughing lightly and nodding in agreement.

Marluxia walked up behind the blonde a moment later, passing her to grab his bass guitar and sit down in the seat it had been leaning against. "It's not that big a deal, I figured they'd hook up sometime or another. Hadn't you noticed how they'd been flirting with one another lately?"

"That means nothing!" Larx retorted, hands still poised at her sides. "Rikku flirts with everyone! I didn't know that she and Paine actually _liked_ one another!"

Axel and Marluxia exchanged a glance, the auburn-headed boy strumming a few chords on his bass, raising an eyebrow questioningly at the red-head who grinned wolfishly and nodded. "So Larx, I was thinking…maybe we should do your song during our debut?"

"Which one?" the blonde girl asked, smiling impishly. "There are, after all, so many wonderful songs we've created dedicated to my all-out amazing-ness."

"Oh I don't know…" Marl replied, fingers pressing against his strings lightly. "Maybe…this one?"

As the bass guitarist started to strum a certain repetition of chords and Axel began playing with him, Larxene's face began growing increasingly red. "You…wouldn't…dare…" She hissed, claws extending as her eyes narrowed.

"Hey Riku, you want to know how Marluxia and Larxene met in the first place?" Axel asked the boy at his side, the pale blonde laughing nervously.

"If I say yes is she going to maul me?" The boy asked, eyebrows arched in slight concern.

Marluxia started laughing uncontrollably, stopping his strumming for a moment to press a hand to his chest. "Oh! Oh! It hurts a little…"

"I'm going to make you think it hurts a little…" Larxene said between clenched teeth, sighing in exasperation as the two boys started strumming in unison, and Marluxia began to sing.

" _If I die and go to Hell real soon  
It will appear to me as this room  
And for eternity I'd lay in bed  
In my boxers, half stoned,  
With a pillow under my head!_"

Axel and Marluxia were laughing in-between phrases, Riku listening in amusement, Larxene muttering death threats under her breath as she held her face in her hands.

" _I'd be chatting on the interweb  
Maggots prey upon the living dead  
I had not interest in the things she said  
On the phone every day  
I'll permanently hit the hay!_"

"You're going to scar this poor boy's image of me for life!" Larxene said impatiently, gesturing towards Riku, then saying to Axel; "Come on, you know why I did that; it was an easy job and paid good money! And you!" She pointed her finger at Marluxia accusingly, "You should feel like a pervert for calling me in the first place! It's so not funny!"

Axel began snickering, Marluxia continuing onto the next verse ecstatically, continuing his loud singing between bursts of laughter.

" _I called her on the phone and she touched herself!  
She touched herself, she touched herself!  
I called her on the phone and she touched herself!  
I laughed myself to sleep!_"

Axel managed to stop laughing long enough to join in and take over the singing, Larxene swatting at Marluxia as the boy tried to fend her off playfully.

" _At this rate I'll be heading for electric chairs  
I'm only human with my cross to bear!  
When she described her underwear  
I forgot all the rules my rabbi taught me in the old schul!_

 _You're too young to be this empty girl  
I'll prepare you for a sick, dark world!  
I know that you'll be my downfall,  
But I call and I call and I call!_" **(2)**

"Wait, wait…she was a call-girl?" Riku asked, trying not to laugh, "One of those sex-line call girls? And Marluxia has a rabbi?"

"My parents are very religious." Marluxia said, holding Larxene away from him so she was clawing air. "And I was very young."

"Yeah, along with horny and lonely!" Larxene added. "I'm telling you though, for talking sex for a few hours a night the pay was really good…"

Laughing, Riku nudged Axel's side and said, "Yeah, I think that might be just what you guys need to get the crowd going. You should definitely sing that one right at the start."

"Nooo!" Larxene said, pulling at her blonde hair. "You haven't known us long enough to be siding with them instead of me already! Don't go over to the dark side!"

"But we have cookies!" Marluxia said with a wide grin, pointing to his t-shirt, which stated exactly that.

Fire coming from the blonde girl's mouth she hissed. "I. Will. Kill. You."

"Nah," Marl said teasingly, "You'd miss me too much!"

"That's so funny," Riku said, laughing, "So what, you just decided to meet in real life one day?" Riku asked, Axel playing a soft melody on his guitar to fill in the silence.

Larxene blushed lightly, pulling away from Marluxia and crossing her arms over her chest. "Actually we were both in a music store at the same time, and he could tell from my singing that I was the girl he had called every night for, what was it? Two years, Marl?"

The boy nodded, sticking his tongue out at her. "That was so long ago, but ever since then we've been inseparable. They do say phone sex is addicting, I guess she just couldn't get enough of me…"

While the two eldest band members went back to clawing and fending off one another, Axel leaned in and nuzzled Riku's neck, kissing his cheek as he pulled away. "You'll get used to them." he said, reaching up and brushing the younger boy's long bangs from his eyes.

"I'm sure I will." Riku replied with a smile, ghost blue-green meeting Axel's eyes for just a moment before wandering away blindly. "Do you think the others will be coming soon?"

"Probably," Axel replied, "I'm sure they'll drift back this way before the gig starts anyway. I wonder where _One Winged Angel_ is, I figured they'd be here already for sure since this is sort of _their_ concert…"

"Yeah, I asked Yuna and Tifa about that earlier," Larxene said, walking away from Marluxia after one last glare and taking her place behind a long keyboard. "This is Yazoo's, not mine, and I'm too afraid to move it without him here. It's really sensitive and I don't want to mess it up right before the show…"

"Well does anyone have their phone numbers?" Axel asked, looking from the blonde girl to the auburn-haired boy adjacent from him.

Marluxia shook his head. "Zack's the only one who ever had their numbers, and I think he has classes today."

"Zack?" Riku asked, shifting a hand down to his pocket and retrieving his cell phone.

"You gonna call Cloud?" Axel asked, the pale boy nodding as he dialed a series of numbers and pressed the device to his ear. "They were hanging out earlier," Axel explained to his confused-looking band mates, "So they might still be together now."

"Oh, Cloud's the blonde boy Zack was with?" Larxene asked, stepping away from Yazoo's keyboard and taking a seat near Riku. "He's your older brother, right?"

"Yeah," Riku replied absently, listening to the ringing echoing through the receiver and waiting for Cloud to pick up. "Do you really think Zack will have their numbers though? I mean, after what happened?"

Marluxia and Larxene exchanged a glance, and then looked to Axel who was smiling softly at the younger boy. "I'm sure he does." He said gently to Riku. "As mad and hurt as Zack was I'm still not quite sure he's fully let go of his past yet..."

Cloud picked up the phone a moment later. " _Hey bro, what's up? Having more trouble with the 'rents?_ "

Laughing lightly, Riku replied, "No, nothing like that. I'm at the park with Axel and the other members of _Chakram_ , they're playing again tonight."

" _Nice! What's going on?_ "

"They're warming up for _One Winged Angel_ along with _Saberflight_ …but that's why I called." Riku hesitated a moment, trying to figure out a good way to word his inquiry. "Could you ask Zack if he knows a phone number where we could reach someone from _One Winged Angel_? They haven't shown up yet…"

Rustling could be heard from the other side of the receiver as if Cloud had set his cell phone down, saying something softly and then another voice commenting back. Axel watched the blind boy's expressions, trying to read the boy's face; Marluxia and Larxene waiting and watching silently. After a few long moments Cloud picked up the phone again, saying, " _Zack said he'll try calling Yazoo. Was there something in particular your friends needed?_ "

"Umm, some of _One Winged Angel_ 's equipment is mixed in with theirs and they didn't want to mess it up by moving it themselves, so…"

Chuckling lightly, the boy replied, " _Gotcha. Musicians can be pretty temperamental about their instruments. We'll see if we can get a hold of them. Want me to call you back?_ "

Riku nodded, replying, "Yeah, you can." He paused a moment, then said, "Well, call me back if you _can't_ get a hold of them, okay?"

" _No prob, bro. C'ya._ "

Riku pulled his phone from his ear, ending the call and shoving the device back into his jeans. "Cloud said they'd try to call Yazoo. He's the boy that pulled me out of the crowd, right?"

"Last night?" Marluxia asked, looking from Riku to Larxene then back again. "Yeah, that was Yazoo. He's the most laid-back of the group I'd say; always been pretty friendly."

"He's the sanest one at least…" Larxene added, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah…" Axel replied, sighing lightly, his thumb plucking strings as he dropped his hand across the front of his warlock. "Can't really say the same thing for Kadaj, or Loz; they've both always been kind of out there."

"And Sephiroth…" Larxene said icily.

Marluxia shook his head, shifting back further in his seat and crossing his legs, placing his bass in his lap. "Let's not even get started on that…"

Axel made a sound of agreement, looking to his side and meeting blind, wandering eyes; smiling at the pale blonde boy affectionately. "What do you think we should play tonight, Riku?"

Thinking, looking down so that his bangs fell across his face, the boy asked, "What kind of songs do you play?"

"All sorts!" Marluxia said with a smile, "Fast, slow, serious, hilarious…"

Larxene shot him a glare at the last named genre. The amber-eyed girl played with one of her many silver bangles, the hoops covering most of her long, lanky arms, and added, "I think Yuna said they're thinking about doing something up-beat, kind of techo-y. We should probably do something quick too since we're going before them." She winked at Axel. "Wouldn't want the girls showing us up now would we pretty boy?"

Laughing haughtily, Axel replied, "Oh, you just wait. If it's a competition _Saberflight_ wants then they'll get it." He reached over and wrapped an arm around Riku's shoulder, breath teasing the younger boy's ear. "I'm gonna be hot tonight! The scouts are totally going to be drooling over us."

Blushing lightly, Riku replied, "Well then, you'd better start practicing hadn't you?" while prodding the older boy away from him with playful pokes in his side.

"Yes mother." Axel retorted jokingly, Riku scowling at him through a smile. "Okay guys, so what we think? _Mixed Tape_ **(3)**? _Not Okay_ **(4)**?"

"Yeah," Larxene said, looking from Axel to Marluxia, "Those would be good, but we need something extra awesome to start out with, something to make people remember us."

Marluxia thought a moment, fiddling with his guitar, then looked up and asked, " _Sugar_ **(5)**?"

Grinning, the red-headed boy said, " _Sugar…_ " in a long, drawn out manner, Riku looking up towards Axel's voice as the older boy spoke, laughing softly. "I like; but would it give us the wow we need?"

"Uh-uh." Larxene said, the boys looking over to her as she shook her head. "We need something more, something deeper. What about…" Her face lit up. " _Criminal_ **(6)**?"

"Ooo, yeah. Sounds good." Axel said, strumming a few notes quickly, tapping his foot and beginning to play. Marluxia started in a few moments later, calling for Larxene to get her ass up and find her synthesizer. The blonde girl gave him a few colorful exclamations before walking off, returning with a hand-held keyboard and giving Marl one of those 'don't even comment' looks before returning to her seat.

"Lazy." The auburn-headed boy said through a cough, looking over at Larxene cattily.

"I'm not dragging the whole damn synthesizer over here from the front of the stage!" The girl replied, rolling her eyes at Marl when he stuck his tongue out at her. "I can manage with this until we can use the stage to practice."

"They looked like they might take a while…" The boy replied airily.

"Well it's a good thing I'm an amazing improviser isn't it?" The blonde vixen replied, twisting several dials at the top of the hand-held keyboard and finding the drums. "Come on, hit it!"

Axel let out a shout, Riku jumping slightly, the two guitarists immediately beginning to play together, Larxene playing the drums on her keyboard.

" _As he came into the window  
Was a sound of a crescendo  
He came into her apartment  
He left the bloodstains on the carpet  
She was sitting at the table  
He could see she was unable  
So she ran into the bedroom  
She was struck down  
It was her doom_…

_Annie, you okay? You okay? You okay, Annie?  
Annie, you okay? You okay? You okay, Annie?  
Annie, you okay? You okay? You okay, Annie?_

_Annie, you okay? You okay? You okay, Annie?_ "

Riku listened, smiling, comforted by Axel's voice and the warmth of him sitting at his side. The song was upbeat and slightly metal-sounding, but it was something that would definitely rile up the crowd. He brushed his hand against the older boy's side then leg, Axel looking over at him as he continued to sing.

" _Annie, you okay?  
Will you tell us that you're okay?  
There's a sign at the window  
That he struck you  
A crescendo, Annie!  
He came into your apartment  
He left the bloodstains on the carpet  
Then you ran into the bedroom  
You were struck down  
It was your doom…_"

The edges of Riku's vision began to clear for a moment, fire red and cat-green taking form out of the endless darkness. A smiling face, affectionate eyes, warm lips… What was it about Axel's singing that could give Riku back his sight again? Was it the way they were connected; their hearts?

" _Annie, you okay? You okay? You okay, Annie?_  
Annie, you okay? You okay? You okay, Annie?  
Annie, you okay? You okay? You okay, Annie?

_You've been hit by; you've been struck by,_

_A smooth criminal!_ " **(6)**

Clapping sounded from behind them, a petite blonde girl walking towards them from the other side of the stage, smiling impishly. "Sounds great guys!"

"Hey Rikku!" Marluxia called, waving.

Riku looking up from Axel's side, blinking and asking, "What?"

Chuckling lightly, Axel whispered, "Not you. The lesbian."

"How am I supposed to know the difference?" Riku whispered back.

"Well you see," the singer replied in a very matter-of-factly tone, "There are certain parts of one's anatomy that should lead to a pretty conclusive deduction as to whether or not you are indeed a lesbian…"

Slapping the older boy lightly on the chest as he scowled, Riku said teasingly, "You're such an ass."

"Well I do have a nice one…"

"Shut up!" Riku said, shoving him exasperatedly, rolling his eyes and letting out a breath before his lips turned upwards in a smile. "So not what I meant…"

"Are you saying I don't have a nice ass?" Axel asked in mock shock, pressing a hand to his chest and pouting in a cute manner the blind boy couldn't fully appreciate.

"So I'm guessing you guys have decided to break the ice?" Rikku asked Marluxia and Larxene, her hands clasped behind her back leisurely, long blonde braids half atop her head and half falling down her shoulders and back. "That's so sweet. I'm singing tonight and I really didn't want to have to go first!"

"Tifa's going to let you sing?" Larxene said in surprise. "She's usually kind of…I don't know, 'possessive' about her title as _Saberflight_ 's singer. How'd you manage to talk her into letting you do it?"

Sudden shouting could be heard from the other side of the stage along with the sounds of a chair falling, or perhaps being thrown. Rikku looked over her shoulder, green eyes wide, saying, "I don't know yet, Paine's talking to her…"

"Oh god, you didn't tell her did you?" Axel asked, shaking his head.

"Tell Tifa what?" Rikku asked, turning to look at the red head, and then to the younger boy at his side.

"About you and Paine." He replied. "You know she doesn't approve of in-the-same-band relationships. As a matter of fact…" Axel hesitated then added, "I don't exactly know if Tifa's tolerant of same-sex relationships at all."

"Really?" Rikku asked, genuinely surprised. "I had never thought about it. She does sort of avoid you doesn't she? Ever since she found out you were bi…"

Axel nodded, looking over at Riku, the shorter boy pressed against his side as if they were connected at the hip. "We've never really hung out so it hasn't been that big of a deal for me, but she sees you two all the time."

"Yeah, Rikku, I'd be careful what you say to her." Marluxia said. "She might freak out a little."

"I don't understand why people find it so hard to stay out of other people's business." Larxene said with a sigh, turning her dial on her keyboard to baby grand piano. "Who you're dating should not affect your band at all, same sex or not…"

Axel nodded, reaching over and taking Riku's hand, the blind boy blushing lightly. He stayed quiet for a moment and then turned to look at the blonde member of _Saberflight_. "You should probably go check on them, Rikku. See how much damage has been done."

Grimacing, Rikku nodded, waving over her shoulder as she walked off. Everyone let out a sigh when the girl was out of earshot, Larxene and Marluxia exchanging a look and then glancing over to Axel and Riku. The two boys were holding hands tightly, the older boy whispering into the younger boy's ear.

"Don't let it bother you." Axel said gently, breath warm against Riku's skin.

"I just…" Riku whispered softly, "I don't want that to be us. People getting upset and fighting…"

"Listen, it's no big deal. Tifa will get over it or get used to it, one or the other." Axel said gently, trying to comfort the boy's thoughts. "Those girls have been friends for years, and they formed _Saberflight_ quite a while ago too. I highly doubt something like Paine and Rikku being together would cause their band to break apart, or their friendships for that matter."

"Yeah…" Riku replied, looking up towards Axel's voice and smiling. "So, aren't you going to practice some more?"

"Right!" Axel said excitedly, turning from Riku to Larx and Marl, who were watching him expectantly. "Let's get together our song-list for tonight! _Criminal_ 's going to be a good strong start, but we can't end it there. What else do we have hidden away in our arsenal?"

As the three friends began debating on which songs to sing, when to sing them, and how their music would appeal to the crowd, Riku settled into a comfortable silence. Axel was there for him and always would be no matter what. If something like what Rikku and Paine were going through happened to them he was sure Axel would be right at his side defending him and protecting him. Everything about the boy was so amazing. Holding Axel's hand with one of his own and then curling his other hand to brush his fingertips across his hemp bracelet, Riku couldn't help but smile. Axel was an amazing boyfriend. Blushing lightly, Riku thought to himself that he could hardly wait for the older boy to kiss him again. Maybe before the concert started Axel would find another spot for them to hide in and kiss him the way he had before in the mall. Riku had never experienced something so…hot. He could sense himself beginning to crave more and more. Axel was addicting.

-xxxo0:O:0oxx-

Naminé was silent as Shiloh led her through the forest, catching the first glimpse of sky she'd seen since coming to this strange place as they drew closer to the gate. The trees began thinning, long tall branches parting to allow blue and white sky through to the ground, the sun warming patches across the dark forest floor. The ghost boy looked back at the small girl's figure, her transparency becoming more and more solidified. He didn't know if she'd be able to make it through at first or not, but he had nothing but time. Vaguely he wondered to himself how long they had been gone in the outside world, reaching out his mind link to search for his younger sister. " _Tasogare…_ "

" _I'm here._ " Was his contractor's instant reply, her voice the chime of bells echoing through his mind like a drop of water on the smooth surface of a pond. " _Is she alright_?"

" _She's fine; confused and afraid, but sane. She should have no problem passing through the barrier. Once she's inside and alone again…I am not so sure._ "

Tasogare offered no reply, wrapping her mind around that of her brother's, warm and comforting like holding hands. " _Thank you, Shiloh_."

" _Anything for you_." He thought with a smile, sending the emotion of affection through their joined link. Taso returned the feeling. The boy looked back, noticing Naminé was watching him, and asked, "Is something wrong?"

"N-no, nothing…" Naminé replied, crossing her arms over her chest as if she were cold. "I just feel strange."

"You're getting closer to consciousness." the boy replied, waiting for the girl to reach him before continuing to walk with her at his side. "You may begin to be able to feel what your actual body is feeling. Are you in pain?"

"No, more like numb." Naminé said, rubbing her arms. "I feel weak too. It's getting harder and harder to walk."

Shiloh's eyes glinted red for a moment before he asked, "Would you like me to carry you?"

Blushing lightly and blinking several times, the albino girl said, "Carry me? But you're so much smaller than I am, how could you…" It hit her before she could finish her sentence. He didn't mean he would carry her as he was now. He meant she could ride him…in his wolf form. The thought sent a shiver up her spine. "No, I'm alright. I can walk…"

"Naminé." Shiloh said, the girl looking over and meeting his golden-red eyes. "You have no reason to fear me, I would never hurt you. Whether my face is that of a wolf's or a boy's it's still me." His eyes softened, the red in them fading. "Trust me."

Before Naminé's eyes Shiloh began changing. His golden eyes darkened, his face elongating into a wolf's snout, his spine arching as he went down on his hands and knees. Then suddenly he wasn't a boy anymore, he was a massive white wolf; ears alert, canines flashing, pupils dilated into tall diamonds. "Shiloh?" Naminé breathed, resisting the urge to turn and run.

" _I'm here. It's all right…_ " The wolf stepped towards her, lowering his head, sniffing the grass lightly. " _Tasogare's just up ahead. You ready?_ "

"Yeah…"

She approached the wolf slowly. The powerful, majestic beast that had terrified her earlier now caused her to hold her breath and watch in awe. His ears tilted back, listening to her breathing and elevated heartbeat. His tail swayed back and forth slowly, ribs expanding as he drew breath, nose twitching slightly to catch her scent. The faint taste of caramel planted itself on Shiloh's tongue. It suited the girl, he thought to himself, the skittish human grasping the thick fur at the nape of his neck and mounting him like a horse. He waited for her to settle then rose up high on his haunches, sauntering off through the woods. The trees parted the further they moved on, wind blowing through them and then back up into the sky. Shiloh could see the remnants of twilight in the shadows, some of the trees in the deep forest hued black and white instead of colored. The tall pines that surrounded them were, however, dark green and brown like they should be. The chaos didn't seem like it was planning on advancing again any time soon. Naminé was finally getting a grip on everything that was happening. Maybe she would be okay to walk past the gate after all.

Naminé had to force herself to take in deep, even breaths. The wolf beneath her was monstrous; she could feel his muscles twist under her legs as he walked, the prowess of his footsteps, the watchfulness of his eyes as he surveyed the woods around them. She'd never been so scared and at the same time felt so safe. Shiloh was going to lead her to the other side, Taso was waiting for them somewhere up ahead, and soon she would find herself awake in a hospital room with Riku at her side. That's how she imagined it anyway, as she thought about how she would return to the real world and out of this realm somewhere within her mind. Somewhere beyond this strange dream, or nightmare, there were people waiting for her. She longed for them. The dull ache in her heart that connected her to her brother seemed to be tugging her in the direction Shiloh walked as if drawing her back home. The blonde girl smiled to herself. Soon. It would happen soon.

Passing between two exceptionally large trunks and out into a clearing Naminé's eyes locked onto a large gate, a familiar figure standing near the large bars and waving to them as they approached. "Naminé!"

"Taso!" The girl called back, raising one of her hands from Shiloh's back to return the other girl's greeting. "I can't believe this is happening! How is all of this possible?"

Smiling, mint green curls bouncing on her shoulders as her violet eyes met Naminé's, Tasogare replied, "It's just a little bit of luck and magic. There was no guarantee I'd be able to find you in the first place, but I had to try." She looked to the wolf, grinning. "I mean, _we_ had to try."

The wolf lowered itself to where Naminé could slide from his back, the small girl's feet meeting grass a mere moment before the ghost-boy was back at her side. Only slightly startled at Shiloh's sudden change, Naminé swallowed nervously and looked past Taso towards the gate looming high behind her. Thick dark chains bound the two large twisted wrought-iron gate doors together, a massive lock keeping it all in place suspended in mid-air just a bit taller than Tasogare's head. The albino girl looked from the lock to Taso, then turned slightly and met eyes with Shiloh. "You're the key?"

The small boy nodded, walking towards his sister, the girl holding out her hands and showing Naminé the key she possessed. "This is what led you to the library in your mind isn't it?" The mint-haired girl asked softly. "You were looking for this?"

"I was…it was the first thing I thought of when I saw this…" Naminé replied, stepping forward and fighting herself to resist the temptation to reach out and touch the chains. They seemed to emit a low, dark energy. It reminded her of thick, black rain clouds right before a thunderstorm, a foreboding feeling hanging heavy in the air. "How are we supposed to open it? There's something on the other side, somewhere I'm supposed to be." She looked back at the girl and then the ghost. "If I'm supposed to be there then why am I locked out?"

Tasogare exchanged a look with Shiloh then replied to the blonde, "It has to do with the magic I'm using to allow us to be here with you. I haven't used it in a long time; some of its secrets have been locked away again. Despite that," The older girl said, trying to explain, "You should be able to open the gate and get through to the other side even if it means from here on you'll have to walk alone."

"You won't be alone for long Naminé," Shiloh said at the girl's fallen look. "They'll be waiting for you on that side; they'll be there for you when you awaken."

Naminé, searching Shiloh's eyes, nodded. "All right." She said, clenching her fists. "What do I have to do?"

-xxxo0:O:0oxx-

Roxas moved without thinking. All he knew was Sora to _not_ get hurt again, not with him standing there watching it happen. He wouldn't allow it. Pain shot through his side and out his back, knocking the breath out of him, the boy clenching his eyes shut and falling to the floor while pulling Sora down with him. "Roxas!" The brunette screamed, the older boy kneeling and clutching at his lower rib-cage, blood pooling in his hands. Gritting his teeth he turned and watched Sora's drunken father walking steadily closer through one eye, the gun still poised. The man's steps were uneven and wobbly as he ascended the stairs slowly, Roxas pushing Sora back towards the brunette's room as he scrambled to his feet, legs shaking. "Roxas…" The smaller boy said again, his voice a whimper as tears gathered in his long lashes. "You can't…"

"Go, now! I'll take care of this…" The blonde managed gruffly, panting in gasps of air. As he rose fully to his feet, careful not to straighten up too quickly and injure himself further, Roxas accessed the situation. First and foremost he had to stop Sora's father. Roxas saw the quickest, most effective way to obtain this objective and went for it, moving forward and ducking, bowling into the man's legs as he reached the top of the stairs and knocking him backwards. The man's gun discharged again as he fell down the stairs, crying out as something snapped before he reached the landing below. When Roxas was sure the man wasn't getting up again, he hobbled back towards Sora's room, conscious of the bloody footprints he was leaving on the already dirty carpet. He pushed open the door slowly, leaving a bloody handprint on the doorframe, looking over and meeting eyes with a petrified Sora cowering in the corner nearest to his bed.

When the brunette realized it was Roxas and not his father he rushed forward, tears pouring down his cheeks, reaching out to touch the steadily growing bloody circle covering the blonde's side and back. "We have to get you to a hospital," the younger boy said shakily, trembling as he pulled away his hand and stared down at the red liquid smeared across his palm. It was so different seeing someone else's blood when he was used to only seeing his own, so strange seeing the bullet hole in the front of Roxas' shirt compared to the thin lines he inflicted on himself. It was terrifying.

"Sora, listen to me. I want you to call Zexion. He lives closer than Demyx or Axel, and he's got a car…" The blonde had to stop a moment, coughing violently, the bright red dying his clothes slowly turning into a dark cherry-black. "Call him; tell him to come get us."

"But Roxas! We need to call 9-"

"Sora!" Roxas said determinedly, trying to make the younger boy understand. "If you call 911 after something like this with your father, what do you think will happen to _you_?" He coughed again, shaking, azure eyes turning glassy. "I think I'm going to pass out…"

"O-okay! Okay…" Sora pulled his cell phone from his pocket, watching Roxas carefully, brow furrowed and heart pounding. _Pick up pick up pick up…_

-x-x-x-

Zexion, sitting with his arms crossed as he watching Demyx and Yuffie running around the candy shop adjacent from the bench he was sitting on, sighed heavily. It made him a little sick to watch the way they flirted with one another; Yuffie being blatantly aggressive and Demyx laughing and thinking nothing of it. How could he be so blind? Couldn't he see the way Yuffie was looking at him, pouting lightly, light flickering in her chocolate eyes? Reno and Vincent were in a shoe store across from a watch kiosk to Zexion's left, the slate-eyed boy barely catching a glimpse of the red-head in a pair of tall pink heels before Vincent carted him off to the back of the store, glaring and saying something to the younger boy that made Reno burst out laughing.

Zexion sighed again, this time deeper than before, as if willing himself into a day-dream where he wasn't the fifth wheel. Ringing chiming from his pocket caught his attention a moment later, blinking in surprise as Sora's name flashed across the screen. The brunette had never called him before, though the older boy had given him his phone number a long time ago in case he ever needed anything. Maybe Sora and Roxas were out and about too and wanted to hang out, or maybe the younger boy was calling about the concert that night.

Smiling, pushing his silver hair behind an ear as he pressed his phone to his cheek, the boy asked, "Hey Sora, what are you up to?"

"Z-Zexion…" The voice on the other end of the phone was panic-stricken, Sora crying uncontrollably into the receiver. Immediately Zexion stood up, searching for a better signal under one of the skylights in the middle of the mall.

"Sora, what's wrong?" the older boy asked, looking around for help, but the others were occupied. Unsure of what to do, Zexion stammered into the phone, "Where are you?"

"Roxas," Sora cried, "my dad shot Roxas…"

"Are you at your house?" Zexion asked, turning towards the candy shop and quickly walking over to the entrance. Moving the phone to where he could still hear Sora but he wasn't shouting into the receiver, Zexion reached out and caught Demyx's arm as he and Yuffie ran by, pulling him out of the store as the blonde laughed merrily. "We have to go, now. Something's happening." Zexion said to the other boy, listening to Sora still crying at the end of the line.

Demyx's smile faded abruptly, Yuffie walking over to them as well, eyes showing her confusion. "What's going on?" Demyx asked, searching Zexion's eyes.

"Do you remember how to get to Sora's house?" Zexion asked, pulling his friend with him as he started walking briskly towards the entrance.

"Y-yeah, why?"

"What's wrong with Sora?" Yuffie asked, following after them, a concerned look across her face.

"It's not Sora; it's Roxas." Zexion said to the girl, looking over his shoulder, Sora still crying in his ear. "Sora's father…" He tried to fathom the act, shaking his head when he found he couldn't, and whispered, "…he shot him."

Yuffie gasped and covered her mouth with her hands, pulling her phone from her pocket and beginning to dial 911, "We need to call an ambulance! What's Sora's address?"

"…told me to call you," Sora sniffed, hiccupping as he tried to speak coherently, "…not to call the cops, I'm only sixteen…don't know what to do…" The brunette broke down and started crying again, Zexion unable to make out what he was saying.

"Don't call an ambulance, we'll have to take him ourselves," Zexion replied, stopping long enough to take Yuffie's phone from her and end her phone call. At her angry shout the boy said exasperatedly, "Sora's only sixteen, and this is his father we're talking about! Where's he going to go if you call the cops, Yuffie? To his mom?"

"O-Oh…" The small girl said softly, taking her phone back from Zexion, eyes downcast. "I hadn't thought of that…"

The boy didn't answer, nor did Demyx comment, the usually playful, perky boy serious under the circumstances. "We have to get there and get to the hospital fast. If he's been shot he must be losing a lot of blood." The blonde turned to Zexion. "What are we going to say happened to him? We can't say anything about Sora's dad 'cuz Sora might get taken away…"

"We can worry about that later, we have to make this fast." The older boy replied, heading out through a set of side-doors and onto the sidewalk. "Come on."

Demyx held the door open long enough for Yuffie to walk out as well, then the two ran after Zexion who was racing across the parking lot towards his car. He reached the corvette before Demyx and Yuffie even reached that end of the parking lot, opening the driver's side door and sliding inside. He revved the engine, unlocking the passenger side door as his two friends ran up to the side of the yellow car, Yuffie climbing into the back seat and Demyx sitting down beside Zexion. "Do you think we'll all fit?" Yuffie asked, peeking in between the two front seats as Zexion pulled out of the parking lot and headed back through town.

"Yeah, and how are you going to explain to your parents about all the blood in your car?" Demyx asked, rubbing the back of his head. "Roxas is going to be bleeding everywhere…"

"I'll tell them I was trying to save a stray that got hit by a car or something. That doesn't really matter right now." The older boy replied, slate eyes narrowing as Sora started saying something on the other end of the phone again. "What did you say? I'm sorry, Demyx was talking…"

"…I don't know if he's breathing, my dad. Roxas pushed him down the stairs…he's not moving…"

"Hold on Sora, stay with Roxas." Zexion replied, wild images of Sora getting shot as well running through his mind. "We'll check on your dad when we get there, okay? How's Roxas doing?"

"I don't know; he's bleeding bad…" Sora was still crying hysterically. "He passed out a few minutes ago…his breathing's really shallow…"

"We're coming Sora," Demyx said encouragingly, Yuffie nodding from the back seat.

"We're here! Don't worry Sora. Everything's gonna be okay…"

Zexion turned a corner, passing under a yellow light and quickly checking for cops. When no one followed after them Zexion turned another corner and drove past the park, Demyx catching a glimpse of Axel's hummer in the front parking area as they drove by. The blonde boy grabbed his cell from his pocket and began texting immediately, hoping the red-head would respond soon. They might end up needing his help.

-x-x-x-

Sora was shaking, cradling Roxas' head in his lap, sobbing into the phone and trying to hold on to Zexion's voice. He could hear Demyx there, and Yuffie; they were calling out for him, telling him to be strong. Sora had never felt so lost. Roxas had taken a bullet for him, his father might be dead at the bottom of those stairs, and Sora couldn't do anything at all. He felt so helpless. "What should I do? Roxas…Roxas…" The brunette rocked back and forth lightly, trying to comfort himself but afraid of moving the other boy too much and hurting him further.

Suddenly the voices on the phone began speaking all at once and Sora heard a car screech into the driveway, voices outside echoing what he could hear through his cell phone. "Sora, we're here." Zexion said, footsteps coming closer towards the front door. "We're coming in now, where are you? Upstairs?"

"Y-yeah…" Sora sniffed, letting the phone fall from his hands as he heard the front door open, looking down at Roxas and starting to bawl again.

"Holy shit…" Demyx said under his breath, looking around the living room and spotting Sora's father in a heap at the bottom of the stairs, Yuffie gasping and stepping over spilt beer and empty cans. Zexion went to the man, reaching down and feeling for a pulse, then looking up the stairs. He could see Sora and Roxas through the railing at the top, calling to the younger boy, "He's breathing Sora; the fall must have knocked him out. He's fine."

"Y-you don't think…broken…" Sora hiccupped, looking up, sapphire eyes streaming tears.

"No, he's fine. Nothing broken." Zexion replied, moving the man to lie in a less painful position by picking up his arms and dragging him away from the stairs. He stepped over the drunkard, taking the steps two at a time; going down to his knees at Sora's side and settling his eyes on Roxas. The boy looked horrible. "Sora, let me see him." Zexion said gently, lifting the blonde from the younger boy's lap, Demyx and Yuffie coming up the stairs and standing over them, watching silently. Zexion turned Roxas over slightly, lifting up his bloody shirt and taking in the sight of the black hole near the bottom of his ribcage, turning him just a bit further and searching for the exit wound with nimble fingers. He let out a relieved sigh when he found it. "The bullet went clean through, he should be fine as long as we get him to a hospital soon. He needs to get this cleaned before it gets infected, and he's lost way too much blood." Looking over his shoulder, Zexion met Demyx's eyes. "Help me carry him."

As the two older boys slowly picked up Roxas and carried him down the stairs, Yuffie went to Sora, pulling the brunette to his feet and holding him gently. "It's okay Sora, you did great." She rubbed his arm comfortingly. "Come with me, we need to go to the hospital…"

"Wait, I have to get everything." Sora said, wiping his face with the back of his hand, walking back to his room and grabbing up his things. "It's the whole reason we came in the first place…" Yuffie followed after him, helping him carry some of his books, the two youngest of the group descending the stairs quickly, Sora staring blankly at his father as he stepped over the man and followed after his friends. So this was goodbye for good. Face twisting in anger, the brunette kicked the man before walking off. Good riddance.

Zexion and Demyx were maneuvering Roxas into the back seat, Yuffie walking over and setting Sora's books in the backseat floorboard, helping Sora with his backpack and then ushering the boy to go sit with Roxas. The brunette, sniffing, crawled into the back with Roxas and Demyx, the older boy looking over at him and smiling gently. "You okay?" he asked Sora, reaching over and touching the boy's shoulder fleetingly.

"I will be when Roxas is okay." Sora replied, stroking his boyfriend's legs gently as he placed them across his lap. The boy's bleeding seemed to have lessened, his shirt helping the wound to clot temporarily. Yuffie sat down in the passenger's seat as Zexion slid in behind the wheel. With a quick look in the back seat to make sure everything was in order, the older boy caught Sora's eyes, asking, "Are you ready?"

The brunette nodded, eyes moving from Zexion to Roxas' pale face. That was all the boy needed in affirmation. He put the car into reverse, tires squealing as he backed out of the driveway, then sped off back through town towards the hospital. "I'm going to call ahead and let them know we're coming," Zexion said, turning to look at Yuffie, then looking in the back seat via the rear-view mirror, "If anyone asks how this happened, we were at my house and I was messing with one of my father's guns in the den. He has them lying around loaded, he's going hunting this weekend with some friends. I picked one up to show it off and it accidentally fired. Got it?"

Yuffie nodded, Demyx saying, "Okay Zex…" Sora remained quiet.

Zexion hesitated then asked, "Sora? What's wrong?"

"This is bullshit." Sora said softly, squeezing Roxas' leg as tears pooled in his eyes. "My dad _shot_ Roxas you guys. He _shot_ him. We have to do something!"

"Sora…" Zexion's voice faded, lost for words. What could they do? Tell the police what happened? But then what would happen to Sora? Without a mother or a father who wanted him where would he stay? He'd be put in foster care, a ward of the state until eighteen. He had no other family. There was no one. "What did Roxas say?"

"He said not to tell anyone…" Sora said sadly. "…he took a bullet…for me…"

Yuffie turned around in her seat, watching the boy cry with sad eyes. Demyx looked from Sora to Yuffie then to Zexion, catching his friend's eyes in the rear-view mirror. _What should we do_? His eyes seemed to ask, confusion and fear mixed within his dusky irises.

Time seemed to stop inside the corvette, but outside it seemed to move in fast-forward, Zexion driving them all too quickly towards the hospital. "I have to call and tell them we're coming…" The slate-eyed boy said softly. "Sora, why don't we just do what Roxas wanted? I don't know what he would do if we woke up and you weren't there with him…"

Voice choking, Sora nodded. "It just seems so wrong…to let him get away with something like this…"

"We'll deal with it when the time comes." Demyx said reassuringly.

Yuffie nodded. "Right now we should worry about Roxas, right?"

Zexion dialed the number for the hospital, telling the receptionist who answered the phone his story about accidentally shooting Roxas with one of his father's loaded hunting rifles, Demyx reaching into his pocket when he felt it vibrate. It was Axel, asking what the hell was happening and where they were. Demyx text his friend back, letting him know they were almost at the hospital and everything should be fine. As the yellow corvette pulled into the emergency entrance of the hospital and everyone started piling out of the car, Demyx's phone vibrated again. Nurses came rushing out with a gurney, pulling Roxas from the back seat of the car as gently as possible and rushing him inside. Demyx managed to click his phone to view the text message right as they walked inside after Roxas.

/ _Ax:: We're coming_. / Was all it read.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now, for song credits; when I made these songs originals by Chakram. I shortened some of the names when I referenced them, but here are the actual song titles!
> 
> (1) Stolen by Dashboard Confessional (I used this one last time too…)
> 
> (2) Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too by Say Anything
> 
> (3) The Mixed Tape by Jack's Mannequin
> 
> (4) I'm Not Okay (I Promise) by My Chemical Romance
> 
> (5) Sugar, We're Going Down by Fall Out Boy
> 
> (6) Smooth Criminal by Alien Ant Farm (Originally by Michael Jackson)


	16. Promise

Riku clung to Axel's arm as they drove quickly towards the hospital. "Where was Roxas shot? Do you think he'll die?" He asked worriedly, shaking slightly at the thought. "What about Sora?"

"Demyx said Zexion looked Roxas over before they moved him, the bullet went all the way through; it hit his side and came out the back. Sora's freaking out, but he just watched his boyfriend get shot by his father." Axel looked down at Riku fleetingly before settling his eyes back on the road. "I can't really blame him, I would be freaking out too."

They reached the hospital a few turns later, pulling into the parking lot across from the emergency entrance, Axel taking Riku's hand once they climbed out of the hummer and ushering him quickly across the pavement to the automatic doors. A blast of cool air hit them from above as they entered the hospital, Axel immediately picking out their group of friends in the waiting room and walking over to them, Riku holding his hand tightly. Demyx turned around right as Axel and Riku started towards them. "Guys! Over here!" The blonde called, waving them over. Zexion turned to look as well, moving slightly and revealing Yuffie and Sora sitting together beside him. The brunette looked distraught, face in his hands, hunched over and shaking slightly as the girl rubbed his back.

"Axel, where's Sora?" Riku asked, squeezing the red-head's hand like a life-line, wishing now more than ever he had his sight back and could find his friend without having to ask for help. He wanted to be able to race over to Sora, take him in his arms, lift his face and search his eyes. Riku would have given anything to be able to see Sora right then, to hold him and let him know everything was going to be all right.

"Here, he's right here…"

The older boy led Riku towards Sora slowly, stepping past Demyx and Zexion, who watched with soft, sad smiles. Riku's heart was hammering, ears filled with the sounds of Sora's broken sobs, reaching out and touching the boy's russet spikes gently. "Sora?" Riku asked softly, going down on his knees, moving his hand down the boy's face until he was cupping his cheek. "Sora…"

"R-Riku!" The younger boy whimpered, half choking he was crying so hard, sliding off of his seat and wrapping his arms around Riku's shoulders, burying his wet face in the crook of the older boy's neck. "I was s-so scared…"

"I know, Sora, but everything's okay now. The doctors will take care of Roxas." Riku said gently, holding the brunette against him tightly as the boy continued to cry. "It's okay…"

Axel watched from a few feet away silently, Demyx looking over at him and brushing a hand against the red-head's arm. "Ax?"

"Hn?" the other replied absently, watching Sora and Riku, wishing there was something he could do.

"Are you and Riku…?" The blonde asked questioningly, Axel looking over at him and laughing lightly.

"Yeah, we are." He replied, watching his friend's face closely. "Why? What is it, Dem?"

Demyx looked over at Zexion, then Yuffie, then back to Axel. "How did you first know it?" He asked softly, "When you were bi?"

Eyes softening, Axel said, "It's just a feeling you have, an attraction you can't shake."

Demyx looked down slightly, then back over at Zexion. "But what if it's a friend you've had for a really long time… How can you tell the difference?"

Axel, thinking back on how Zexion had been acting at the mall earlier, asked Demyx softly, "How long have you wondered about it?"

Blushing lightly, Demyx whispered, "A while…"

"And you've never asked him about it?" Axel asked, smiling teasingly. "Don't you see the way he looks at you?"

"W-what do you mean?" Demyx asked, blushing a bit deeper as he looked up at Axel, searching cat-green eyes. "You think Zex…?"

"Likes you?" Axel asked. "Yeah, I think he might." Eyes wandering over to the silver-haired boy, catching slate eyes that flashed confusion for a moment and darted between him and the blonde at his side, Axel couldn't help but smile. Zexion having a thing for Demyx would explain a lot. But Demyx liking Zexion back? Axel had thought the blonde might have been too dense to notice, and he meant that with love. But for Demyx to be asking Axel something like that, and for him to phrase it as "bi"… The older boy looked past Zexion to Yuffie, the small girl patting Sora's back from her seat, watching the younger boy with warm eyes. So that meant Demyx liked Yuffie too. "Dem," Axel said, brushing against the boy and leaning in so that he was whispering, "Who do you like more? Zexion or Yuffie?"

"W-wh-what?" Demyx stammered, pulling away, but Axel caught his arm.

"Just think about it." The red-head said, looking over and making sure no one was watching them. "Who are you attracted to right now, at this very moment?"

Blushing, Demyx looked over, eyes passing between the silent boy and the small girl. "I…I don't know…"

Axel didn't say anything else, just watched the boy's expressions silently. Demyx truly seemed like he didn't know how to answer him, or what he felt towards Zexion or Yuffie. Axel didn't think it would help to press the issue, but he could tell he'd given the younger boy something to think about. He looked from the blonde at his side to where Riku and Sora knelt together, wondering when someone would come out and tell them exactly what was going on with Roxas.

Sora's sobs had quieted a bit, the smaller boy lying against Riku lightly, sniffing and looking up from where he had been pressed against the older boy's neck. "I'm sorry…" He sniffed, pulling away from the blind boy and wiping his eyes.

"It's fine," Riku said, chuckling lightly and rubbing Sora's arms. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah…" the brunette replied, laughing half-heartedly, "I guess I'm just a little shook up…"

"What happened?" the albino boy asked, Sora shifting in his lap then moving back to his seat, Riku lifting himself up to sit next to him.

Yuffie took Sora's arm, Riku holding his other hand, the brunette trembling lightly as he started to speak. "My dad…he hit me earlier. Roxas was there, he got really mad and told me to come with him and meet his mom; that I didn't have to take it anymore." He looked up, eyes darting from the scar across Riku's eyes to the boy's hand around his own. "She said I could stay with them. I was gonna get to stay with Roxas…" He sniffed, tearing up again. "But, I kept saying how I needed my school books and stuff, so we went back to the house. If I hadn't said anything we never would have been there, he never would have stood up to my dad; he wouldn't have gotten shot…"

"Oh, Sora, this wasn't your fault…" Riku said sadly, squeezing his hand.

"Yeah, your dad's the bad guy, not you!" Yuffie said, hanging onto the brunette's arm tightly.

Zexion, watching the two trying to comfort Sora, looked down at the dried blood on his hands. He had been scared shitless too back at Sora's house, seeing Roxas lying there bleeding, feeling the warm, red liquid absorbing into his palms and fingertips when he checked the wound. He couldn't imagine the horror Sora must have gone through, to have see the actual act and heard the gun fire, to watch Roxas fall...and all because of his own father. Crossing his arms over his chest, the silver-haired boy looked to the double doors nearby leading to the emergency rooms further back in the hospital. Where were the doctors? The nurses? The informants? Did they really expect to keep them waiting much longer? If it was torture for him not knowing it must be agonizing for Sora.

Demyx touching his arm caused him to look up, meeting the blonde's dusky-blue eyes. "You okay Zex?" He asked gently, searching slate irises.

"Y-yeah," the boy replied, blushing lightly and looking away. He'd been caught off guard by the look in Demyx's eyes; it was something he hadn't seen before. It reminded him of a sort of unsure affection, like the way he used to look at the blonde when he first developed feelings of his own. _Don't get ahead of yourself_ , he chided inwardly, eyes catching movement on the other side of the room.

The doors swung open suddenly, a man walking out in green scrubs, pulling off latex gloves and walking towards the group of waiting kids purposefully. Yuffie tapped Sora on the shoulder, pointing towards the advancing man, Riku looking up as well when he heard footsteps approaching. The brunette lifted his head, jumping to his feet and walking towards the doctor. "Is he okay?" he asked frantically, the man blinking and coming to a halt in front of the boy. Yuffie walked after him, Demyx and Zexion watching from where they stood, Axel walking over and putting a hand on Riku's shoulder. The blind boy stood up, leaning against the older boy's side, tilting his head to listen to the doctor as he started explaining the situation.

There were a lot of big words used to describe a lot of complicated procedures Roxas had undergone in the time he'd been brought to the emergency room until the doctors had finished a few moments before. All Riku cared to remember was that the doctors had done a surgery to repair damaged tissue and muscle, stapled the two wounds shut after filling the gap with a sort of gel that was meant to temporarily support what had been lost, and that Roxas was under heavy medication. Roxas was knocked out for the moment, the man said, but as the anesthesia wore off from surgery he should be coherent enough that he could have visitors. Two at a time was the limit and no longer than twenty minutes. Roxas had been through a traumatic ordeal and needed to sleep. He would make a full recovery, in time. Next came the questions.

Zexion stepped up and talked to the doctor, explaining what had happened had been an accident, and since he was eighteen there was no need to call his parents and confirm. Roxas, on the other hand, was only seventeen and they would need to contact his parents and let them know what had happened, as well as get the boy's insurance information. The group of friends exchanged glances, unsure of what to do, but eventually Sora spoke up. "We should wait until Roxas wakes up and see what he wants to do. His parents are out of town and I don't know how to contact them." The doctor agreed to this, asked a few more questions, and then returned to the back of the hospital. He assured the worried teens that as soon as Roxas woke up a nurse would come and fetch them. Until then there was nothing they could do but wait.

Sora sighed and turned back to look at the others as the doctor walked off, Yuffie's hands behind her head, Zexion patting the brunette's shoulder comfortingly. Demyx watched silently, sighing and putting a hand on his hip, looking over to where Axel and Riku stood side by side. The blind boy was clinging to the red-head, looking around the room searchingly, listening to the silence taking over the room as the doctor left. Sora, sighing to himself softly, walked over to Riku, looking up and meeting Axel's eyes as he did so. The older boy was holding Riku against him gently, watching Sora's approach with soft eyes. "What will you do now?" The red head asked as the small brunette stopped before him, Riku reaching out and pressing his palm against Sora's chest.

"Wait until he wakes up," Sora replied, smiling at Riku and reaching up to touch the hand pressed to his chest, "There's no way I'd leave him here like this, and it's not as if I can go home, or I'd be comfortable going back to his house without him…" He sighed heavily, arching his eyebrows in worry. "What am I going to tell his mom? She said I could stay with them, but now…"

"It'll be alright, Sora." Riku said, fingertips moving against the younger boy's heartbeat. "When Roxas wakes up he'll know what to do. Try not to think about it too much, you'll make yourself sick."

Sora's lips curved into a smile, affection shining in his eyes. "I'm so glad you're here Riku. Thank you..."

-xxxo0:O:0oxx-

Zack and Cloud exchanged glances, the older boy's phone pressed against his ear as he waited for Yazoo to answer the call. After several more rings and the callback sequence chimed, Zack hung up, frustrated. He did _not_ want to have to call Sephiroth, but if Cloud's little brother needed him to… The blonde was watching him with searching eyes, the muted television flashing lights across his face in the dimly lit living room where they sat next to one another on the couch. "No luck?" The younger boy asked, eyebrows furrowing with concern.

"Not yet," the darker boy replied, flipping through the folders in his phone, searching for Loz or Kadaj's numbers. Cursing inwardly when he realized he had deleted them, he placed his phone on the back of the couch and leaned in towards Cloud, pulling the younger boy to lie against him and sighing heavily. "If Yazoo doesn't try to call me back in a minute I'll try him again."

Cloud made a soft affirming sound, wrapping his arm around the boy's side as he relaxed against the body beneath him, resting his head on Zack's chest. The older boy traced patterns across his back lazily, lost in his own thoughts, sighing again as he thought over the situation at hand. Regularly it wouldn't have bothered him to have a five second conversation with Sephiroth if only to tell him there were people looking for him, but what had happened earlier was beginning to really rub him the wrong way. Why the hell had _he_ told him about the concert? Why should Zack care? Violet eyes wandered over to stare blankly at the television, mind reeling. Why would that man have told him all of those things? Did he really think just by telling him he was sorry, and that Seph was sorry too, it would change anything? What the fuck was his problem? Why, why, why… _Just when I think I'm over him, I can stop thinking about him, I can stop hurting because of him, some pointless bullshit like this happens._ Zack thought to himself angrily. _How the hell did that guy know where I lived anyway_?

The blonde boy looked up at him, watching silently, feeling the other's agitation. Zack had dealt with enough from that bastard earlier today, let alone having to call around looking for Sephiroth because of his little brother. It was sweet, that the other boy would care enough to do something he really didn't want to do just for Riku, and in turn just for Cloud. Inhaling deeply, Zack's scent filling his senses, the younger boy sighed. Maybe Yazoo would call back soon and that would be the end of things.

An hour passed, and still nothing. No phone call, no text message, not a word from the silver-haired keyboardist. Zack had tried to call several times, but the phone always rang until it reached the voice mail. No one ever picked up. "Where the hell is he?" Zack murmured, checking his phone again. It was unlike Yazoo not to return his calls. When everything had happened between him and Sephiroth, Yazoo had been there for him in a way the others hadn't. Where Kadaj and Loz had silently stayed out of things, Yazoo had nearly left _One Winged Angel_ for good, disgusted with the way the older man had treated his young fiancé. Yazoo had helped him through a lot of his darker days, and helped him cope with the betrayal until he could stand on his own feet. Zack trusted him, and knew if Yazoo could have the other boy would have called him back by now. Taking a breath, violet eyes flitted over the number pad of his cell phone, fingers dialing a number he wished he no longer had memorized. Holding Cloud against him, Zack waited for the voice of his ex-lover to pierce through him, half of him hoping the older boy would answer just so he could get their conversation over with. He wasn't so lucky. Even Sephiroth's voice recorded on his voice-message had Zack's heart twisting uneasily, pressing his fingers into Cloud's shoulder a bit deeper. He hung up before Sephiroth's voice ended with a beep.

"Still nothing?" Blue eyes searched darkened amethyst; brow arched as he pushed himself up and hovered on hands and knees above the boy beneath him.

Zack shook his head, leaning back and saying, "I'm going to have to go looking for him. If _One Winged Angel_ doesn't show up for the concert tonight I'll fuck it up for the other bands." Sighing, he met eyes with Cloud, reaching up a hand to brush against the younger boy's cheek. "You don't have to come with me unless you want do. There's no reason for you-"

"I'm not letting you anywhere near him alone," the blonde said incredulously, "You're insane if you think I'd make you go see him by yourself." He moved a bit closer, pressing against Zack's palm. "Or did you forget?" He questioned softly. "I was there this morning."

Mischievous smile playing across his lips, Zack replied huskily, "No, I remember…"

Cloud blushed, scoffing lightly. "That's _not_ what I meant and you know it!"

Chuckling, Zack moved up and met lips with the younger boy, pulling away a moment later to whisper, "It's a pity we were continuously interrupted." Light flickered teasingly in his eyes. "We'll have to continue some other time, without our phones ringing or people at my door." The darker boy's fingers flitted to the blonde's waist, pushing up his shirt and dancing across his ribs.

Breath hitching, Cloud searched dazzling violet eyes, azure shimmering lightly as a flush heated his face. "I'd like that…"

"I know you would…" Zack replied softly, pressing his smile to the younger boy's parted lips, pulling him to press against his chest. Cloud moaned lightly, giving in to the touch and kissing the older boy back. They separated several long moments later, panting softly, searching one another's eyes. More would come later, but for the moment they were on a timed interval. The concert could only be postponed for so long if it came down to that, and then there would be nothing they could do. Zack hoped it wouldn't take that long to find the singer, the fragile bit of affection he still felt towards his ex-fiancé would turn to hatred if Sephiroth messed things up for Cloud's little brother and the others. Fleeting thoughts of their conversation this morning passed through his mind, then Yazoo's appearance, and then _him_... "Come on, let's go to the mall. He's probably hiding out somewhere there." The boy said suddenly, Cloud blinking and getting to his feet, Zack standing up after him.

"Where would he be?" Cloud asked, stretching for a moment then running a hand through his messy spikes. "You mall is massive, if we circle the wrong way he could pass right by us and we would never know."

"We'll have to split up," Zack said, sighing heavily. He looked around his apartment for a minute then back over to the other boy. "Why don't you call Riku and make sure they haven't shown up yet before we start this wild-goose chase, just in case."

Nodding, Cloud retrieved his cell phone from his pocket, dialing his brother's number as he watched Zack gather his keys, wallet, and phone from the couch cushions. Blinking when his ears met Riku's voice mail, the blonde replied, "His phone's off. He must be somewhere without a signal."

"There are a lot of dead zones in the park," Zack replied, reaching over and pulling Cloud to him. "You should head over there and check up on things. I'll head to the mall and start looking for Sephiroth. Call me and let me know if _One Winged Angel_ 's already at the park, or meet me at the mall, okay?"

Shifting uneasily at the thought of letting Zack go by himself, Cloud asked, "You don't want to go with me?"

Zack's eyes softened. "If Seph still hasn't shown up it'll be quicker for us to look for him this way. I'll be fine for twenty minutes without you, I promise."

Pouting lightly at the other's teasing tone, Cloud nodded. Zack meant so much to him; he didn't want to risk Sephiroth upsetting him again. He never wanted to see Zack get hurt, feel his shoulders shaking like that again, see the pain in his eyes… "Alright." The younger boy replied, nodding to the other. "Try to stay somewhere with a signal?"

"The skylights are usually pretty good with reception in the middle of the mall." The older boy replied, then added, "I'll make sure I check my phone if I cross through a dead zone, okay?"

The blonde nodded, azure irises shining. Zack moved in and kissed him, lips lingering for a moment before pulling away, then walked off towards the door. Cloud followed after him, stepping through the doorway and crossing the yard to reach his mustang. The silver sports car was shining brightly under the late afternoon sun. Was it getting that late already? They really didn't have much time.

Waving to Zack, who returned the gesture as he opened the door to his viper; Cloud looked over his shoulder and backed out of the driveway, turning to head back into town. He forced himself to not think about all the things that could go wrong and focus on what was more-than-likely happening. _One Winged Angel_ , all members included, was probably already at the park, and Riku was simply somewhere without a signal. That was the fast, easy conclusion to this man-hunt. Yet for some reason Cloud's stomach was turning uneasily. Despite how much he wanted his musings to be true, something told him that was _not_ the case. Something was wrong, or about to go wrong. Or both. Trying to still his nerves, he followed the now-familiar streets leading towards the large expanse of trees and grass near the heart of the city. _Please be here._ Cloud begged silently. _If Sephiroth is here already Zack won't even have to see him, I'll just call him and we can hang out at the mall or something. Everything will be fine._

Everything was not fine. As Cloud parked, got out of his car, and surveyed the surrounding area he could tell there was no way the popular band had arrived already. Absolutely no one was there. Well, at least not compared to the previous night, when the park had been packed with screaming fans. Several groups of kids were wandering around, chatting amongst themselves, but no one was on stage. No one was practicing. Pulling his phone from his pocket, Cloud dialed Riku's number and began walking towards the large platform. _Where is he?_

-x-x-x-

Zack sighed heavily for the nth time, closing the door to his car and standing against the red viper for a moment, watching the doors to the mall as if he were about to walk into a cloud of plague. Teens were filtering in and out of the doors casually, no fan girls squealing about _One Winged Angel_ 's singer making an appearance inside or anything else that would give the older boy's whereabouts away. Maybe Seph really was just hanging out somewhere, not looking for attention. Maybe he really was sorry. Maybe he really did regret.

Hands clenching into fists Zack bit his lip, snapping his reeling mind out of its train-wreck course of hopeful thoughts. _Get real_ , his mind said, _the asshole cheated on you_.

 _He loved you._ His heart retorted, clenching painfully.

 _He_ betrayed _you, idiot._ His mind screamed.

 _They're over, they're done_. His heart argued. _They're not together anymore; he means it this time. He misses you._

 _You're wrong_. His thoughts stormed.

"I know…" Zack whispered, feeling the sting of tears in the corners of his eyes. He pushed them away. Maybe he should have waited for Cloud. He drew strength from the younger boy. Where his thoughts of Sephiroth confused and tormented him, Cloud made his heart sing, his thoughts calm. _Cloud,_ heart and mind said in unison, _Cloud, Cloud, Cloud…_

Turning his thoughts of the boy into a mantra, shielding him from his ex-fiancé's voice and lies, he crossed the pavement and reached the double doors, opening one and letting himself inside. Hand clenched around his cell phone, Zack began his search. _Please be there_. Zack pleaded, wondering if anyone was listening. _I don't want to see him. A phone call is so different than actually seeing him again. Please don't let him be_ here _._

-x-x-x-

"Riku!" Cloud called, walking across the front of the stage, eyes darting across equipment and instruments strewn around the stage. The boy still hadn't answered his phone. "Bro, where are you?"

"Oi!" a voice called, the blonde turning to see a russet haired boy a few years older than him walking towards him from the back of the stage. "You looking for Axel and Riku?"

"Yeah," the blue-eyed boy replied, walking over to meet the other boy. "They're not here?"

The boy shook his head. "Nah, they left a little over an hour ago I'd say." He looked the blonde over, asking after a moment, "You're Cloud, aren't you? Riku's brother?"

"Yeah," the younger boy replied with a nod. "Still no word from _One Winged Angel_?"

Shaking his head, the boy offered, "I'm Marluxia." He turned to look over his shoulder, a blonde-haired girl approaching. "That's Larxene." Indigo met with Cloud's cobalt. "Axel's our singer."

"Oh, you're _Chakram_?" Cloud asked, Marluxia nodding, Larxene waving slightly before crossing her arms over her chest leisurely. He nodded to her before turning to meet eyes with the other boy. "Zack's at the mall looking for Sephiroth. He wanted me to check on things here before I met up with him." Cloud shook his head, putting a hand on his hip. "I guess I'd better go help him look." Rolling his eyes, he added, "I can't believe the nerve of that guy. What, Sephiroth's just not going to show up for his own concert?"

Marl and Larx exchanged a glance, the amber-eyed girl replying, "Sephiroth's a jackass like that." She shrugged. "You get used to it after a while."

"I hope not…" Cloud murmured, dropping his hand to his side. "Where did Axel and Riku go anyway?"

"I think they said something about the hospital?" Marluxia replied, his eyebrows arched in a mixture of confusion and worriment.

"Oh, they must have gone to visit Naminé." Cloud said, nodding. He needed to go see her sometime soon as well. Turning and waving as he walked off, the blonde boy called, "We'll be back!"

Larxene and Marluxia watched him go, the girl laughing lightly. "He's a good match for Zack."

With a smile, the boy at her side replied, "I was just thinking the exact same thing."

-x-x-x-

Zack circled the mall, looking into shops and hallways, anywhere where the stubborn runaway singer might be hiding. His nervousness was quickly turning into aggravation, checking the time on his phone's display more than he probably should have been, watching the time tick by with still no sign of Sephiroth. "Where are you Seph…"

-x-x-x-

"Oh, come _on_!" Reno said in a sing-song voice, looking up at Vincent with a pout, bottom lip jutting out cutely. The older boy was immune.

"You shouldn't have wasted your money on those pink heels if you wanted to go to the candy shop afterwards." Vincent chided, watching the man clinging to his arm look longingly between the bag he was holding and the shop they were standing in front of. "I'm not buying you any."

"But, but…" Reno sniffed dramatically. "There are so many chewy, sugary, delicious, tasty…"

Vincent glared at the younger boy, Reno as immune to his looks as he was to the red-head's. "If I buy you something this time, the _next_ time you run out of money shopping for drag you'll expect me to get you candy too." Eyebrow twitching at Reno's puppy-look, Vincent replied, "It is not a habit I'm going to abide."

Scowling, Reno huffed, "Fine, fine…but you have to come over and help me pick out an outfit to match my new shoes!"

Eyebrow twitching again, Vincent said, "That's…not…what…"

Laughing, Reno dragged the older boy through the mall, Vincent's red eyes flickering in a mix of exasperation and amusement as he followed after his friend.

-x-x-x-

Cloud pulled out of the parking lot and onto the street, traffic starting to flow steadily from downtown towards the park. People were beginning to gather for tonight's event, the sun steadily sinking towards the horizon, the sky turning into golden, dusky hues that beckoned the night. It shouldn't be too hard to find Zack, Cloud said to himself, thinking better than to call him. He didn't want the older boy to think he was trying to keep tabs on him or anything, and though he was worried he could wait long enough to drive to the mall and find his boyfriend himself without having to call him right that moment. Everything would be better with them together anyway; as soon as he got there and found the older boy everything would be fine. It was just that he didn't like the idea of Zack and Sephiroth alone together. Something about it, the very thought, it…angered him. Was he so possessive of the other boy already? Or was it just the way his heart ached to protect the violet-eyed boy no matter what...

He wanted to be rid of Sephiroth so desperately, for the both of them. He was fairly sure the singer was one of the only people he'd ever not given a chance before putting on his shit list. It was nothing more than what the man deserved. Cloud almost hoped when he and Zack found him the silver-haired boy would say something smart just so the blonde would have an excuse to punch him. Stopping at a red light, the blonde took a breath. No, he'd better not do that. He wouldn't want to upset Zack. It would probably be best just to tell him to get his ass to the park and leave. Somehow he figured it was going to be more complicated than that.

-x-x-x-

Zack leaned back against the wall behind him, looking off towards the center of the mall with searching eyes. Sephiroth had made himself ghost for sure this time, and it was getting way too late for them to be playing cat and mouse like this. Cloud hadn't called him, which meant the younger boy must be heading this way. Probably caught in traffic, the dark-haired boy thought absently. The city always went crazy at night. Turning to look over at the arcade nearby, Zack's eyes softened. So many memories here, pain and happiness contorted in his heart, forcing him to swallow and look away. He practically jumped as his eyes met ice-blue, gasping in surprise at how close the other boy had gotten without Zack noticing him. "S-Seph, where have you been?"

Light flashing in his eyes, the older boy replied, "I needed some time to think before the concert tonight. You know I can't sing unless I have a clear head."

Zack looked down, gauging the distance between them. Sephiroth was close, but not too close. He must have been remembering Zack's words from earlier and holding himself off. He knew Seph had more to say to him, the singer hadn't been through with their conversation that morning before the younger boy had told him to get out. "You need to go to the park; your instruments are mixed in with _Chakram_ 's…" Sephiroth was watching him silently, the younger boy trying to keep his cool. "Why aren't you with Yazoo and the others? You know the gig will be starting soon, aren't you going to show?"

"Do you want me to go?" Sephiroth asked softly, searching Zack's dark eyes.

Resisting the urge to push the boy away and walk off angrily, the other managed to reply, "I don't really care what you do, Sephiroth." Icy eyes widened slightly. "I do, however, think you have a responsibility to those kids to show up and play; for both the other bands and for your fans."

That apparently wasn't the answer the older had been looking for. He stepped closer, Zack backing up even further against the wall, holding his breath unconsciously as his ex-lover leaned in. "Do you feel nothing for me?"

Eyebrows arching, Zack stammered, raising his hands to Sephiroth's chest to hold him back when he tried to press closer. "Seph, I…I-I…"

Smiling softly, the taller boy took trembling hands from his chest, pressing them gently to the wall the boy was backed against. "Prove it to me." The singer whispered, leaning dangerously close. "Prove to me that I mean nothing to you."

-x-x-x-

Reno was holding Vincent's hand lightly, swinging it in large half-circle back and forth between them, smiling at the other boy's silent, stern look. "Now, now, Vince," The younger shook his finger at his companion lightly. "We didn't stay in that one for too long!" The red-headed said merrily, giggling as the other glared down at him.

"No, not in that last shop," The other agreed gruffly. "But what about the _four_ you drug me through before that?"

Giggling innocently, Reno unlocked their hands, running ahead a few steps and walking backwards so he could look at his friend. "Well, I thought since we were here and all, and it's not quite time to meet the others yet, we-"

Vincent looked past the boy, eyes narrowing as he spotted something distasteful taking place near the arcade. Reno, seeing the expression on Vincent's face, turned to look as well, his hands immediately clenching into fists.

"That bastard…"

Vincent reached out and grabbed Reno when he started forward. "Wait."

"Wait?" The red-head asked in amazement, jade irises flitting back to meet dark ruby.

"He hasn't done anything yet." Vincent said, trying to calm the younger, looking back to where the two boys were standing together against the wall near the entrance of the arcade. "We don't want to cause a scene."

-x-x-x-

It took Cloud forever to find a parking space. He finally resolved to park in the back of the lot and jog up to the front doors, passing several people he recognized from college and waving to them before moving on. Maybe Zack was already outside? Maybe he had already found Sephiroth? The blonde pulled his phone from his pocket, glancing at it for a moment before shoving it back in his jeans. Zack would have called him if he had found Sephiroth already, wouldn't he? He would call if anything had happened, right? Cars honked and someone nearby cranked up there stereo, people laughing loudly as they danced in front of the headlights. Smiling despite himself, he shook his head, crossing the sidewalk and heading for the partially open double doors leading into the entrance of the mall. He needed to stop worrying so much.

Loud chatter greeted his ears as he began walking down the carpeted floor, looking around and spotting a group of girls peering around the corner of the hallway, looking at something a few shops down. "That's him, I know it…" One whispered loudly, the other girls hushing her with giggles and squeals.

"And that's?"

"Yeah, his lover…"

The first two girls squealed at one another, the third girl laughing at them and saying, "They're so cute!"

"You think he's gonna?"

"Definitely!"

The second girl gasped and pulled out her phone, poising it towards the scene they were watching. "I'm totally getting a picture…"

Cloud, slightly confused, stepped towards the girls. Were they talking about Sephiroth? Walking past them slightly and looking about the corner, the blonde's eyes locked onto two intertwined figures nearby. His heart nearly stopped.

-x-x-x-

Zack's eyes were shimmering, barely holding back gathering tears. The way Sephiroth was looking at him, holding him, waiting for him to answer as if that night had never happened. As if he were hurt that Zack would pull away from him the way he had. Shaking lightly, the younger boy whispered, "I told you, I'm with Cloud now…" Sephiroth didn't say anything, just leaned in until their foreheads were touching, breath ghosting over Zack's lips. His words echoed through the younger boy's head, ice-blue irises piercing, Zack finding himself unable to look away. "Seph, please…don't…"

It was one of the tenderest kisses the older boy had ever pressed against his lips, Zack gasping and pulling back, tears escaping the corners of his eyes and streaking down his cheeks. The silver-haired boy pressed against his lips a bit deeper, tilting his head and stroking his thumbs across the younger boy's palms. All Zack could do was shake, close his eyes, and feel his heart breaking all over again.

-x-x-x-

Reno twitched in Vincent's grasp, watching Sephiroth lean in and kiss Zack, the light catching one of the dark-headed boy's tears. "Now can I go beat the shit out of him?" The younger boy hissed between clenched teeth, jade eyes slicing through Sephiroth like knives.

Vincent released his arm, taking the bag that was shoved against his hands and watching the red-head storm off towards the two boys. "Yes Reno, now will suffice."

-x-x-x-

Cloud watched silently, mind overloading with a thousand thoughts and sensations at once. Zack wasn't pulling away, Zack wasn't pushing him off, Zack wasn't screaming at him. Zack was letting Sephiroth kiss him. Zack and Sephiroth…they…

The sound of the three watching girls giggling and cooing to one another was too much for him to take. He backed away a few steps, heart pounding, then turned and ran.

-x-x-x-

"You…fucking… _bastard_!"

Sephiroth pulled away from Zack and looked over just in time for Reno to punch him square in the jaw, the older boy teetering back from the blow as Zack's violet eyes blinked in surprise. "R-Reno?"

"I told you if you ever hurt him again I was going to _pummel_ you, didn't I?" The red-head demanded, walking over to Sephiroth and pushing him backwards. People in the arcade were looking out into the hall to watch the action, the two fighting boys quickly drawing a crowd.

"This is none of your business Reno," Sephiroth said coldly, wiping his mouth to check for blood, "You're not a part of this."

"The hell I'm not!" the younger boy fumed, starting towards the singer with fire in his eyes.

As the small red-headed man proceeded to chew Seph up and spit him out, Zack watched in a daze, walking away from the wall a bit and meeting eyes with Vincent. "You okay?" The tall, silent boy asked, looking over his friend with concern.

"Y-Yeah…" Zack choked out, reaching up and wiping the tears from his cheeks, letting out a shaky, broken sob.

Eyes reflecting worry, Vincent said gently, "I'm not quite sure, Zack…but…" Violet eyes met red, the boy looking at him questioningly. "A moment ago, before Reno…" Vincent stopped for a moment, letting out a silent breath, and then added, "I think I saw Cloud."

Eyes widening, Zack pulled his phone from his pocket, looking down at the time. Cloud should have been here by now. What if he had seen Sephiroth…? "Oh, no…" He dialed the blonde's number, pressed his cell to his ear, and started running.

-xxxo0:O:0oxx-

Axel glanced over at the clock on the waiting room wall uneasily. He had to get back to the others at the park. Demyx and Yuffie were sitting nearby, playing checkers on one of the small tables dotted around the room. Zexion was leaning back against a nearby wall, sipping at a cup of coffee. Sora and Riku were sitting across from the emergency room entrance, smiling and exchanging soft laughter over the memories they shared. Axel wanted Riku to go with him, but he knew there was no way the blind boy would leave Sora in the predicament he was in. Watching the two boys talking quietly, the red-head cleared his throat, and said hesitantly, "Riku…I have to go soon." The albino boy looked over, searching for Axel's voice. "I can't just leave Marl and Larx to perform by themselves, you know?"

"It's alright," Riku said, nodding, "I know you need to go." He paused then asked, "I'm sorry Ax…but…" The younger boy squeezed Sora's hands, "Is it okay if I stay here?"

Eyes softening at his boyfriend's uncertain tone, Axel walked over to him and put a hand on his shoulder gently. "Of course; I'll come and get you when the concert's over?"

Riku nodded, blushing lightly as the older boy leaned down and kissed the top of his head before walking off towards the exit, waving goodbye to Demyx, Yuffie, and Zexion as he passed. Sora watched Riku's blush with a soft smile, heart turning with a mix of jealousy and happiness. So Riku had finally found someone. Even if it wasn't him, Sora was glad for Riku. Axel would be good for him, the brunette decided; he was always looking out for everyone in their group, and seemed very trustworthy and dependable. Sora knew Axel would take care of his Ri-kun, he had seen the way the older boy had looked at Riku as he had turned to leave. There was so much love there. He wondered if Riku knew, or if Axel had yet to tell him.

The other three teens exchanged glances, Demyx asking, "Sora, do you want us to stay too, or…?"

"I'm okay now, Demyx." Sora said, laughing half-heartedly but trying to keep up his smile. "You guys have fun at the concert, okay?"

"We'll come check on you afterwards?" Yuffie asked, clenching her hands together and searching the brunette's sapphire eyes.

Sora nodded, looking over at Riku, the boy's eyes hidden by his long white hair. "Riku's here with me, I'll be okay."

"Call if you need anything." Zexion said, waving at the two boys, turning to walk out of the hospital after Axel.

"Bye Sora, bye Riku!" Yuffie called, running after Demyx, who had turned to follow Zexion.

"Bye…" Riku called back, Sora smiling at him though he couldn't see, affection shimmering in his dark blue eyes.

Soon the boys were sitting in silence alone together, the tick of the clock on the wall and the occasional passing nurse's clicking heels the only sounds echoing through the waiting room. Riku was turned towards Sora slightly, their hands intertwined, the brunette sighing and leaning over to rest his head on the taller boy's shoulder. "Thank you for staying." The younger said softly, Riku following his voice with uncanny precision, eyes meeting Sora's.

"You didn't think I'd leave you here alone, did you?" Riku asked teasingly, squeezing his friend's hand. Sora's heart jumped lightly. Riku meant so much to him, and for Sora to have done that last night…

"I'm sorry," the younger boy said softly, adding at Riku's confused look, "About before, at the park?"

Eyes softening, Riku replied, "It was just a kiss Sora, it's not like you punched me or anything."

Laughing, Sora replied, "I guess you're right. I didn't mean to freak you out or anything…"

"And I didn't mean to upset you." Riku said in return. "You were crying, weren't you?"

Sora looked away. "You know me, always quick to cry."

"No," Riku said; his expression soft and searching, "That's not the Sora I remember." The brunette turned back to look at him as he continued. "The Sora I remember was crazy hyper, always happy, laughing, running, playing, racing with me to our willow-tree…" He pulled Sora's hands to press against his chest, holding them over his heart. "Everything tonight, and how you've been since we've met again, you're so different." Riku squeezed the younger boy's hands a bit tighter against him. "Why are you so sad now? You seem so lost…"

Sora, amazed at how easily the blind boy had read him, whispered, "Since mom left and dad started drinking, things have gotten…insane." A shudder passing through him, blue eyes meeting Riku's ghost-white, the younger boy continued. "For the longest time I kept to myself, but then I met Roxas and he pulled me out of the dark." His eyes swam with emotions. "It's been a constant battle, continuous give and take. I'd have a great day at school with Rox and the others, and then have to go home to my dad. Things have been getting increasingly worse, and then, all this…" Shaking, Sora hissed, "He shot Roxas; _my dad shot my boyfriend_! What am I going to do, Riku? He can't get away with something like this…"

Riku, concerned expression washing over his face, said gently, "It'll be okay, Sora. He won't get away with this; something will have to be done. This isn't exactly an incident that can be allowed to happen again." He rubbed Sora's arms comfortingly, stroking his fingers across the back of the younger boy's hands and brushing against the bandage wrapped around his palm. "Did you cut your hand last night?"

Startled, Sora's breath caught in his throat. Riku knew he cut himself? Then he realized the other had merely felt his bandage, nothing more; the older boy's nimble fingers pressed against the padded cloth. "Yeah, it's not very deep though, shouldn't take too long to heal."

Smiling, Riku offered Sora his wounded hand, the cut across the back still bright pink and the blisters across the tips of his fingers stinging slightly. "What's wrong with us? We're both so accident prone…"

Smiling and giggling lightly, Sora scoffed, "You know, Riku, kilns do tend to be hot…"

"Yeah, yeah," the other replied, rolling unseeing eyes, "And apparently Axel's guitar hates me. The string broke." He pointed towards the back of his hand.

"Ouch!" Sora exclaimed, sighing and shaking his head as he took Riku's hand in his own, looking over swollen fingertips and the long cut on the back of his hand. "You should be more careful!" He teased, Riku smiling at him.

"I could say the same thing to you!" the older scowled, shoving the other's hands away playfully.

Laughing at one another then sharing a comfortable silence, the two waited; listening to nurses walk by and the tick of the clock, wondering when the doctor would come tell them the anesthesia had worn off and they could go see Roxas.

-x-x-x-

Cloud couldn't think straight. He didn't know where to go or what to do; he didn't want to go home and be by himself with his head spinning the way it was, and there was no way he was going back to Zack's. The hand clutching his phone was shaking lightly, the small device ringing for the fourth time. He couldn't talk to Zack right now, he _couldn't_ , not after seeing him with Sephiroth like that. What the _hell_ kind of game was he playing? Telling Cloud he wanted to be with him, he was happy with him, and then letting his cheating ex-fiancé _kiss_ him like that...

Lost in his thoughts, Cloud's mustang guided itself to the hospital. Naminé was here, and Riku might still be too; maybe being around his younger siblings would help him clear his head and figure out what he should do now. He was hurt, but then again it wasn't as if he and Zack had been dating for long. Angry, frustrated, and confused, the blonde parked his car, crossed the visitor's lot, and headed through the automatic sliding doors leading towards the receptionist's desk.

-x-x-x-

Sora sighed, eyes glancing up at the clock. "How long does anesthesia take to wear off anyway?" The brunette asked, a pout turning his lips into a frown.

"I'm not sure." Riku replied, feeling the younger boy's hands slip from his own as the blue-eyed boy stood up, walking across the room and back again impatiently. "You okay?"

"Yeah, just want to see Roxas already." Sora said, looking back at the blind boy. "I know he's okay now and everything, but I need to see him with my own eyes, you know?"

Smiling softly, Riku nodded. "I know what you mean."

Sora, thinking about what he had just said, stammered apologetically, "R-Riku, I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay, Sora. Really." The older boy chuckled, reaching up and running his fingertips across his scar.

The brunette watched him silently, walking back over to him, asking, "So, you never thought about, you know, fixing it?"

Riku shook his head, "There's no way my parents could afford something like that, not with my hospital bills from my accident and now with Naminé…" He looked up, sensing the younger boy was standing in front of him. "I've come to terms with the fact that I'll never see again. Sometimes I think about it, and I wish I could see but…" He smiled sadly. "It's not something that's going to happen. There's no use being miserable by thinking about it all the time." He reached out a hand and touched Sora's stomach, the brunette taking his hand and squeezing it lightly. "We can't change the past."

Sora was silent for a moment before he asked, "You want to go get something to drink?" At Riku's blink and questioning expression, the brunette replied, "I'm going stir-crazy. Maybe doing something will make the time go by quicker."

The older boy stood up, holding Sora's hand and smiling. "Lead the way."

-x-x-x-

The corridors were mostly empty; here and there a nurse or doctor would walk the hall, or a visitor leave for the night, but nothing more than footsteps echoed through Cloud's conscious. Hollow, empty, and resounding; they beat like a drum for his thoughts to dance to. Time seemed to stand still. The receptionist had directed him to Naminé's new room, Cloud weaving his way through the hospital, passing waiting rooms and another receptionist on his way towards the next wing in a daze. He couldn't stop thinking about what had happened, that scene playing over and over in his mind torturously. When the blonde's cell phone rang again he silenced it then turned it off. He wasn't supposed to have his phone on in the hospital anyway, he muttered inwardly, trying to ignore the ache in his heart.

-x-x-x-

Sora offered Riku the cup of hot chocolate in his hands gingerly, saying, "Careful, don't drink it too fast. You'll burn your tongue."

The blind boy covered Sora's hands with his own, taking the cup from him carefully and lifting it to his lips, blowing gently across the surface of the dark liquid. "Thank you."

Smiling, Sora returned to the coffee table nearby, pouring himself a cup as well, then taking the older boy's arm and guiding him to the wall. The two leaned against it comfortably, sipping at their drinks, Sora's blue eyes catching sight of someone passing by and looking up just in time to see blonde spikes disappear past the doorway. "Huh, that's funny."

Riku looked up, questioning look on his face. "What is it?"

"Nothing," Sora replied, sipping at his cocoa for a moment before adding, "I thought I saw Cloud just now, but you said he was with his boyfriend, didn't you?"

"I thought so…" the older boy replied, sniffing the air. Was it the marshmallows from the hot chocolate he smelt in the air, or had his brother really passed by? Standing so near the coffee table his senses were too jumbled to tell. Sora's strawberry was the only scent he could truly pick out from the others, sweet and tangy as the smell translated into taste across his tongue. He'd missed the younger boy so much, that sweet strawberry almost too much for his senses to take. Reaching out from his side, his hand meeting the brunette's arm, Riku trailed down and took the younger boy's hand. "Let's go see Naminé." The younger boy watched him quietly, lowering his cup from his lips. "If Cloud is here, that's where we'll find him."

-xxxo0:O:0oxx-

Tasogare and Shiloh met eyes, the girl handing her brother the key that bound them together, then both turned to look at Naminé. The younger girl was waiting expectantly, wondering what it was that she would have to do. Wind rustled through the forest, the trees swaying back and forth, groaning as their trunks stretched and bent. The wind seemed to pass right through Naminé, barely moving her long pale hair, the light surrounding her flickering dimly. Tasogare's long mint curls and Shiloh's ghost-white hair fluttered in the sweeping gale, the boy's eyes shining gold then red, wolfish grin accenting his lips.

Stepping towards the albino girl, the ghost reached out his hand holding the key, offering it to her. "It's time."

Hesitantly Naminé reached out, clasping her hand over Shiloh's, the key pressed between their palms. Suddenly the boy's body turned into light, shattering and morphing into a frenzied whirlwind that spiraled and retreated inside of the key. Gasping and pulling away, the small girl watched as the piece of twisted metal began to glow, levitating where she had left it as if beckoning her to take it again. Pink eyes flitting over to meet Taso's violet, the older girl smiled at her. Naminé turned her eyes back to the key, held her breath, and then reached out and took it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	17. Questions

Stepping into the small room, the beeping of monitors breaking the silence, Cloud walked across the tile floor to his sister's bedside. Bruises dark purplish-black and spreading, left arm slightly elevated and wrapped in a thick cast, Naminé slept serenely. The boy barely believed the small, broken body laid out before him was really his little sister. She looked like a Barbie-doll some child had colored with a sharpie. Fingertips met the cool flesh of the girl's good arm, Cloud tracing a patch of pale skin between two large bruises. What would Naminé think when she woke up? How much pain would she be in? Would she have to stay in the hospital for long? Eyes sad and soft, cobalt irises flitted from his sister's arm up to her tussled hair and pale face. "What dreams are you dreaming, Nami?" Cloud whispered to her, leaning down and brushing away stray hair from her cheeks. "Wake up, we miss you."

-x-x-x-

The key surged her forward, Naminé clamping onto it like a vice, stumbling slightly as the glowing trinket lifted her from the ground and centered itself before the massive lock binding the chains on the gate. It trembled in her hand, or was it she that was shaking? Voices of people she knew swirled in her mind, echoing through her, giving her substance and life and will. " _Naminé…_ " Shiloh's voice whispered softly. The girl gritted her teeth, closed her eyes, and thrust the key into the lock.

-x-x-x-

Sora and Riku walked through the hallways quietly, the brunette trying not to think too hard about the way his heart was beating faster than normal. He couldn't deny it, the attraction he felt towards his long lost friend. He loved Roxas, but he definitely had a crush on Riku, the shorter boy wondering vaguely if the older boy felt anything towards him like that at all. It was silly, childish, and would undoubtedly fade with time, but for the moment the way their hands were intertwined sent a giddy little wave of warmth through his arm straight to his cheeks. Riku, fingertips brushing against the wall and counting doorframes, was completely oblivious to the younger boy's inner turmoil. _Naminé, Naminé, wherefore art thou Naminé…_

Sora, glancing up from Riku to the door they were passing, said as he read the number plate, "It should be up here on the left I think."

"That's what I thought to;" Riku replied, fingers trailing from the wall as Sora pulled him towards the other side of the hallway. "Right, left, right, left…"

The brunette peeked inside Naminé's room, smiling as he spotted a tall blonde boy standing over a hospital bed nearby. "I thought I saw you a minute ago." The younger boy said merrily, Riku following after him as Sora guided him into the room. "What are you up to, Cloud?"

The taller boy turned to look at the two approaching him, eyes blinking at the sight of Sora and settling on Riku. "Hey Sora, hey bro, what are you two doing here?" Riku blinked in confusion, reaching out and meeting Cloud's hand, the older blonde searching his little brother's blind eyes. "The guys at the park said you were here with Axel?"

"Yeah, he had to go back for the concert. I wanted to stay here with Sora." Riku replied.

Cloud's cobalt eyes flitted up to meet Sora's bright blue, asking, "You came to see Naminé too?"

Eyebrows arching in confusion, the brunette replied, "Just now, yes, but that's not why I'm here." He looked away slightly, hands turning into fists. "My boyfriend's here, we're waiting for him to wake up out of anesthesia."

"What happened?" Cloud asked, looking from Sora to Riku. "Is he okay?"

"Yeah, Roxas will be fine." Riku said softly, turning and reaching a hand towards the brunette he knew must be standing somewhere behind him. "Right, Sora?"

The younger boy hesitated a moment, allowing his swelling emotions to fade, then stepped forward and took Riku's hand. "The doctors said he would be okay," the brunette said in reply, looking up to Cloud, "He's alive. I guess that's better than what the alternative could have been."

"Was there an accident?" The blonde asked, glancing down at his sister.

"Not…exactly…" Riku said, squeezing Sora's hand. The brunette's eyes softened, squeezing Riku's hand in turn, then began relaying the night's events to Cloud, the older boy listening intently.

-x-x-x-

The sound of the lock shattering and massive chains falling to the forest floor shook Naminé to her core, the gate groaning as its weights were lifted and energy freed. The key that held Shiloh's spirit engulfed her in light, slowly setting her back on the ground, Tasogare watching her carefully from a few steps away, waiting for the younger girl to steady herself and continue on. Shaking, Naminé teetered a few seconds before finding her balance, panting harshly and gripping the key in her hands like it was a life-line. It had been terrifying, an experience unlike anything she had ever been through in her life, conscious or not. And at the same time, though it had been terrifying, it had been exhilarating. Broken laughter croaking from her throat, Naminé turned to Taso and handed her the key. "Thank you."

Shiloh appeared beside his sister, the light from the key fading, golden eyes shining as a smile quirked his lips. Tasogare looked down at him, eyes affectionate, and then turned back to Naminé. "Don't stray from the path, keep your heart locked on the feeling of your loved ones and soon they will guide you back to consciousness."

The smaller girl nodded, still panting, a smile spread across her lips from ear to ear. "I will, Taso, thank you so much…"

"You have no one to thank but yourself." She said, waving off the gratitude, "We are, after all, inside your own mind. This is all a part of you, everything that has happened was because you willed it to be so."

"No, you're wrong." Naminé replied; eyes shimmering as she smiled at Shiloh. "You two saved me. I can't thank you enough."

Shiloh stepped forward, eyes flickering red momentarily, his boyish features changing as he transformed into the body of a teenager. Naminé's breath caught in her throat, the taller boy reaching down and cupping her cheek, fire in his eyes sparking. _Is this what he would look like now, if he hadn't died when he was a child?_ The ghost leaned closer, brushing his lips against hers, and then pulled away with a grin in his eyes.

"See you on the other side."

A moment later he and Tasogare was gone, and Naminé was standing alone before the gate. It creaked and shuddered, then opened in on itself, revealing the path that would lead her back to the real world. Holding her breath she took a step forward, then another, until she was all-out running. _I'm coming; Riku, Cloud, Taso, Shiloh…_ Laughter bubbling from her lips, a tear flowing down her cheek, she reached the top of the hill and set eyes on her destination. Familiarity and warmth engulfing her, she padded towards the front door slowly. It was their old house. It was home.

-xxxo0:O:0oxx-

Axel pumped his fist in the air, microphone in hand, sweat beaded across his forehead, panting as the crowd cheered. They were doing great, but there was one more song needed before _Saberflight_ took the stage. With a quick glance over his shoulder to Marluxia, then Larxene, the boy brought the mic back down to his lips. "Alright we've got one more song for you tonight! It's called _Refugee_ **(1)**!" The crowd cheered again, Axel spotting Yuffie jumping with Selphie nearby, Demyx and Zexion chanting with Tidus and Wakka in the front row. "Thanks so much for coming out tonight! Our name's _Chakram_! Got it memorized?"

He stuck the microphone back in its stand, pulled his guitar from his side to his hands, and began strumming, Marl and Larx quickly joining in.

" _Warm yourself by the fire, son,  
And the morning will come soon.  
I'll tell you stories of a better time  
In a place that we once knew…_

_Before we packed our bags and left all this  
Behind us in the dust,  
We had a place that we could call home  
And a life no one could touch!_

_Don't hold me up, now,  
I can stand my own ground  
I don't need your help, now,  
You will let me down, down, down,_

_Don't hold me up, now,  
I can stand my own ground  
I don't need your help, now,  
You will let me down, down, down,  
Down…_"

-x-x-x-

Reno and Vincent exchanged glances, the red-head sighing and crossing his arms over his chest. They were at the grove of trees where they always sat when there were gigs at the park, listening to _Chakram_ , waiting for Zack to show up. "You really think he will?" The younger boy asked. "He was pretty desperate to find Cloud and explain what had happened."

Vincent was silent for a moment, and then replied, "He needs to give Cloud some time to cool off. It would be best if he let Cloud call _him_ instead of pressing the issue. Whether or not he'll show, when Sephiroth will be playing soon…"

"Yeah, I know," Reno replied, "I just don't want him to be alone, you know?"

Smiling down at the red-head, Vincent nodded. "Your hand still hurt?"

"Nah," Reno replied, rubbing his bruised knuckles, "He's got a glass jaw."

Hiding his amused smile, Vincent turned back towards the stage and surveyed the crowd, wondering vaguely if any of _One Winged Angel_ 's fans would notice the swelling bruise along the side of the lead singer's face when the band finally came out to play.

-x-x-x-

Zack rubbed his thumbs into his forehead, taking a calming breath and resting his head back against the driver's seat, trying to deaden the ache in his temples. "Cloud, please, god…" The dark-haired boy mumbled, the sound of _Chakram_ reaching him even from the back of the park's parking lot. "I don't know what I would do if I lost you…"

-x-x-x-

" _We are the angry and the desperate  
The hungry and the cold  
We are the ones who kept quiet  
And always did what we were told_

_But we've been sweating while you slept  
So calm in the safety of your home,  
We've been pulling out the nails that hold up  
Everything you've known!_

_Don't hold me up, now,  
I can stand my own ground  
I don't need your help, now,  
You will let me down, down, down,  
_

_Don't hold me up, now,  
I can stand my own ground,  
I don't need you help, now,  
You will let me down…down…down…_"

Marluxia stepped up to Axel's side, the two boys catching one another's eyes. The older boy winked before taking over on guitar and allowing Axel to drop his warlock to his side, grabbing the mic and screaming out to the crowd.

" _So open your eyes, child,  
Let's be on our way  
Broken windows and ashes  
Are guiding the way_

 _Keep quiet no longer!  
We'll sing through the day,  
Of the lives that we've lost  
And the lives we've reclaimed! Go!_"

Larxene burst out into drums and synthesizer goodness, Marluxia stepping back and Axel picking up his guitar to do a solo. The crowd was going crazy, Yuffie and Selphie whooping and hollering, both girls screaming, "We love you _Chakram_!" Axel, laughing, suddenly noticed two men standing together near the back of the crowd, arms crossed and talking to one another as they watched the band. Suddenly one man looked up and caught Axel's eyes, smiling at the red-head and nodding distinctly. _Scouts_! The boy though excitedly, glancing over to Marluxia. The older boy was grinning widely. He had seen them too, and from the way Larxene was laying out her signature mixes Axel guessed she must have seen the two men as well. _This is it. We're getting discovered tonight._ He cheered inwardly as he began singing again. _I wish Riku were here to see this…_

-xxxo0:O:0oxx-

Naminé stepped into the foyer in awe, memories of her childhood playing out like ghosts before her; Riku and Sora running through the house, her mother in the kitchen cooking lunch, and a miniature version of herself sitting in the living room floor sketching with large crayons and colored pencils. The furniture was the same, the atmosphere real; the stairs leading to the second floor beckoning her onwards. She stepped up the flight of stairs slowly, almost able to feel the carpet under her feet, the railing cool and smooth against her hand. Each footstep something chimed within her like a clock tower's bell, _gong…gong…gong…_

-x-x-x-

Cloud's eyes were wide when Sora finished, the older boy scowling and crossing his arms over his chest. "You realize even if Roxas _is_ okay after all of this, and his parents still let you stay with him, if your father files a missing persons report or finds you there's absolutely nothing anyone can do to keep you away from him unless you tell someone what's happened?" The brunette's eyebrows were arched with concern, Riku feeling the tension in the younger boy's hand. "Either way you're screwed; if you tell the authorities about what happened now they will take you away or send you to your mom, and if your father finds you later it could cause a lot of trouble with Roxas and his family. You're sixteen Sora," Cloud said, searching the brunette's eyes, "If your father wanted to he could say that you've been kidnapped."

Shaking lightly, Sora searched the older boy's eyes. "I'm finally away from him, for the first time in years I feel like I can breathe again." Tears began gathering in the corners of his eyes. "Roxas took a bullet for me to get me out of that horrible place…"

"I just want you to be prepared if something happens, Sora." Cloud said gently, "You need to understand the situation you're in."

Riku, feeling the other boy shaking, turned and wrapped his arms around the smaller boy's shoulders. Trembling, Sora pressed his face against the blind boy's neck, leaving a salty trail of tears against the older boy's skin. "It's okay, I'll be alright." Riku whispered, rubbing Sora's back comfortingly. "Don't worry about that for now; it'll all work out…"

Cloud, sighing silently, turned from the two boys to look down at Naminé. There had to be something he could do for Sora, the danger he was in was very, very real. But so were the disastrous consequences of telling the police what had happened, and Sora being put in foster care until he was eighteen… Reaching out and taking Naminé's hand gently, clasping her small fingers in his, Cloud tried to settle his racing thoughts. Something was in the back of his mind, something he couldn't quite remember. Something about Vincent…but what did Vincent have to do with Sora?

-x-x-x-

Naminé's bedroom looked exactly how it had the last time she'd seen it. Well, before they had packed up everything and moved that is. Posters and drawings adorned the flowery wallpaper, her bed pressed against the wall closest to the window. Two bookshelves took up most of the adjacent wall, a beanbag chair and teddy bear sitting in the middle of the floor with books strewn around it. Smiling, Naminé padded across the plush carpet and ran her fingertips across the spines of the books on a nearby shelf, reading the titles of her favorite childhood stories. Riku used to read to her when he wasn't out playing with Sora, and she would draw out scenes from the books as if they themselves were the characters.

Looking from the bookshelf to the space above her headboard, Naminé quickly spotted renditions of _Hansel and Gretel_ , _Sleeping Beauty_ , and _The Little Mermaid_. She was always the captured princess or damsel in distress, and Riku would be the prince in shining armor racing to her rescue. When had her thoughts turned so bitter in her childhood? She remembered loving Riku, hating Riku, feeling like she had cursed Riku, and then wanting to be everything to Riku. Why had it taken a car wreck and a ghost to make her mind discern guilt from affection? Smiling, Naminé walked over to her bed and pressed a hand to the ruffled comforter and pillows topping it, eyes fluttering lightly. She had so much to tell him, so much to say to him, so much she wanted to give him and never take back.

Crawling on hands and knees to lie atop the mattress, Naminé rested her head against the pillows and closed her eyes, arms wrapping around a large stuffed duck. She wanted to wake looking up into his eyes, whether they could see her or not, and though a part of her would always blame herself for what had happened she knew Riku loved her and forgave her for everything no matter what. He was her older brother, he understood her better than she understood herself. He was always there for her and she wanted to do the same for him, without the past haunting her or regrets standing in the back of her mind. Exhaustion suddenly washing over her, Naminé let herself drift off, unsure of where her mind would take her but knowing it would lead her back home. This time she wouldn't look back.

-x-x-x-

Sora eventually calmed down, Riku holding him the whole time, cradling the smaller boy even when he pulled away and wiped his eyes, blind irises searching the darkness in concern. Cloud walked over to Sora, watery sapphire looking up at the blonde's approach, the older boy motioning towards the door. "Let's go get some coffee."

"O-okay." Sora sniffed, pulling away from Riku, the blind boy blinking and turning lightly.

Cloud, seeing the questioning look across his brother's face, said, "Why don't you keep Naminé company? We'll be right back."

Riku nodded, smiling lightly. _Cloud must feel guilty about Sora crying;_ the younger boy thought to himself, _He's such a softie underneath that tough exterior._ He listened as their footsteps left the room and faded down the hallway, then turned towards his sister's bed, reaching out an unsure hand until he felt the edge of the hospital bed's mattress. "Hey Naminé." he said softly, fingertips flitting across the sheets to her arm, careful not to press against the thin plastic tube leading to her IV and taking her hand in his. "I'm sorry I didn't come to see you sooner, I hope I didn't worry you." Smiling, the boy's hand danced up to her shoulder, leaning in as he whispered to her. "Axel's been taking care of me."

-x-x-x-

" _He's so amazing, Naminé, and I can't help but think you're the reason we became close in the first place._ "

Something jolted inside her, something warm and light. It brushed against her soul like a butterfly's wings, light and fleeting, and then it died down again.

" _I don't quite know how to explain it, but you taking the time to teach him how to guide me, and then when all of this happened…he was there for me…but only because of you. I think that you gave me the courage to talk to him. You know, because of the way he had cat-called you when you took me to my first class? I wanted to protect you, I didn't want him to say or do anything that would hurt you. Despite me hating to talk to people, and how nervous the whole situation had made me, the thought of you drove me to stand my ground. He made me angry at first, but it's so different now._ "

A twitch started in her mind, working its way though her body, mind remembering how to move, how to sense, how to breathe, how to speak. Heartbeat elevating, the warmth inside her flaring to life, Naminé gasped, sputtered, clawed at the heavy darkness around her. She needed that light, craved it, crying out so desperately for a hand to pull her out of the night and into the sun that her lungs nearly burst. _I'm here, Riku! I'm_ here _…_

"… _he danced with me. I knew he was flirting with me, but for some reason I didn't care. It wasn't like before; I didn't want to be alone for a change. I actually liked him! I wanted him to flirt with me, play with me, tease me… Then, his band played on stage, and when he sang Naminé I swear I could_ see _him! I don't know why, but when he sings to me, it's like I have my sight back…_ "

The light surrounding her, the soaring, unreal sensation that had consumed her since she had fallen unconscious seemed to fade away as she listened to her brother's voice. Suddenly she could feel again; she could sense someone touching her shoulder, the itch of something wrapped around her left arm, and the fuzzy sensation of pain. Breathing in a long, deep breath and gasping lightly Naminé opened her eyes. Riku was there, looking down at her, completely unaware that she had awoken. Beeping filled her senses, the lights above her though dim made her blink several times before she adjusted; the small girl unable to move save a weak shift of her arm. The boy hovering over her must have felt it for he tilted his head slightly; listening to her breathing and the way the monitor's beeping had increased slightly.

"Naminé?"

"Hn..." she managed through the oxygen mask covering her nose and mouth.

Riku gasped loudly, turning back towards the door and shouting for a nurse or doctor, anyone to come and check on the small girl. Two nurses came running in, the blind boy hurriedly explaining what had happened as the two women checked her status and heartbeat, one of them running back out into the hallway to go fetch Doctor Cid. Covering his face with his hands, Riku began crying, laughing despite his sobs with both joy and relief. After a few seconds (when the remaining nurse had checked all of his sister's vitals and reassured him that she was indeed awake) Riku returned to Naminé's side, feeling across the sheets to reach her hand, clasping it in his tightly.

A small smile quirked the girl's lips, squeezing her brother's hand back as strongly as she could. She couldn't wait to tell him of her adventures.

-xxxo0:O:0oxx-

Axel gave Marluxia and Larxene high-fives, the two older members hugging one another and cheering as the red-head slumped down in a seat. After they had left the stage and _Saberflight_ had taken over the two men in the back of the crowd had weaved their way towards the front, coming backstage and seeking out the members of _Chakram_. They wanted to set up a meeting to discuss a contract with _Kingdom Hearts_ , one of the biggest record labels in the music industry.

"You know what this means, right?" Larxene said excitedly, clapping her hands together. "If we play our cards right, if we dig deep in this, we can be on the charts like _Heartless_ **(2)** or _Spectrum_ **(3)**! _One Winged Angel_ even!"

"I knew this would happen! I knew it!" Marluxia replied, hands fisted as he punched the air wildly. "When they told us there was going to be a back-to-back concert I knew there _had_ to be something going on with talent scouts! Oh, man, I feel like I'm on _fire_!"

"I can't believe they liked us that much!" Larxene said is disbelief. "It's like, where the hell were you when we formed this band? Hello? We're not the newest kids on the block!"

"I'm just grateful that we went first and rocked that hard." Axel said, grinning and looking over at his friends, "This about what would have happened if _Saberflight_ had gone before us?"

Larxene nodded, Marluxia shrugging and saying, "A little band rivalry might be just what they need. If we throw around their names enough I'm sure the _Saberflight_ girls will be in the gold too!"

Laughing, Larxene wrapped her arms around herself, squealing lightly. "I feel so alive! Let's go dance or something!" She took Marl's hand, dragging him back towards the front of the stage. "Besides, I wanna go cheer Rikku on too!"

The russet-haired boy laughed, following after her, calling back to Axel, "Coming?"

"Nah, I'm gonna jet!" The singer called back, "Great gig tonight! Have fun!" He caught sight of the older boy waving before they disappeared through the curtains, Axel grabbing his guitar and getting to his feet, searching for his case. Heart and mind a twisted jumble of happiness, shock, and fantasies, he packed his warlock and left through the back. Jogging lightly through the outskirts of the wild crowd, Axel made his way across the park and to the parking lot. As much as he wanted to stay for Rikku's singing debut, he wanted to be with Riku more. Picking his hummer out of the throng of vehicles swamping the lot he unlocked it and climbed inside, laying his guitar case in the back seat and cranking the engine when he was done. Giddy, still smiling as he replayed the scouts' words over and over in his head, Axel backed out of his parking space and headed towards the hospital. _Kingdom Hearts_ record label…

Laughing, Axel thought to himself that he wouldn't be able to deny being a rock-star to Riku anymore. He might just have to sing _Lying Is The Most Fun A Girl Can Have With Her Clothes On_ at _Chakram_ 's first official concert. He'd love to see the look on his boyfriend's face.

-xxxo0:O:0oxx-

Cloud sipped at his coffee quietly, Sora holding a cup of hot chocolate he'd barely looked twice at. They hadn't spoken since the night before, when Cloud had pulled him out of the river. "How long?" The blonde asked softly.

Sora didn't have to ask him what he meant. "Since mom left and dad started hitting me; a little bit after we moved here."

"So it's been years?" the older boy asked, watching the steam rolling out of his cup as he held it between his hands. "Does Riku know?"

Shaking his head, Sora replied, "I don't want him to know. I don't know what he would think of me." Eyes sad, the brunette looked over at Cloud. "He already thinks I'm a different person, I don't want him to lose the way he remembers me from our childhood…" He paused a moment, then added sadly, "The person I was before I was broken…"

Silent and thoughtful, Cloud took another sip then sighed, saying, "If we go to the cops about this and they see your scars they might not just put you in a home, they might institutionalize you."

"W-what?" Sora balked, almost tipping over his cup.

"You're not exactly stable if you're cutting yourself, Sora." Cloud said softly, motioning to the boy's bandaged hand. "It's just something I've thought about, I don't know if it would really happen or not. They'd more than likely send you to a psychiatrist and have you evaluated, but that's only if they intend to put you in foster care." Looking away, he added, "If they deemed it necessary they could put you in a hospital until you were eighteen, and that would be much worse than foster care."

"God, I hadn't even thought about it…" Voice barely above a whisper, Sora shook his head miserably. "I don't know what to do Cloud; I don't have anyone but Roxas…"

Azure flitting over and taking in Sora's desperate expression and trembling shoulders, Cloud couldn't help but get that strange feeling that something could help Sora, but why when he thought about it did Vincent keep flashing in his mind? Something about a cop, or shrink… Then it hit him.

 _Reno was laughing, clutching his sides as Vincent glared at him, the boys standing outside near the college parking lot. "You are_ not _borrowing my father's handcuffs."_

" _The look on your face! Priceless!" The younger man sputtered, snorting he was laughing so hard._

_Zack was chuckling as well, sitting on a bench nearby with a textbook, looking up from its pages at Cloud's approach. "Hey, come to watch the show?"_

" _What's going on?" Cloud asked, sitting down beside the dark-haired boy._

" _Reno asked Vincent if he could borrow some of his dad's cop stuff for something perverted." He shrugged, amethyst eyes shining. "You know, usual Reno."_

"… _I'll even let you play too! Don't lie Vincey-wincey, you know you'd_ love _for me to handcuff you to my bedpost…"_

_Cloud, barking out a laugh before coughing loudly, pounded his chest to keep from choking as Vincent turned around and shot death rays and the two watching boys. "Don't encourage him." Was all he said, turning back towards Reno who was attempting to tug him in the direction of his car._

_As the two boys started arguing again, Cloud asked Zack, "Vincent's father's a cop?"_

_Zack nodded, closing his textbook and looking over at the blonde, replying, "Yeah, his dad's the police chief or something, but he's really laid back if you can actually get him to talk to you. I played pool with him once a while back, when we were actually allowed over at Vincent's place."_

" _Allowed over?" Cloud asked, raising an eyebrow._

" _Yeah," Zack sighed, "Apparently Reno tried on Vincent's dad's vest and hat or something and was doing sexy poses in front of the mirror while taking pictures with his camera phone. Vincent's mother walked in on him, flipped out." The older boy rolled his eyes. "She's a psychiatrist or something, said there was something wrong with him. Reno, of course, proceeded to tell her quite flamboyantly that the only thing wrong with him was he happened to be a flaming homosexual." As Cloud started laughing the older boy stood up from his seat, the blonde standing up along side him, the two boys walking towards their cars. "Needless to say that was the last time we were invited over. Vincent's got his own place now and all that, but I'll never forget hanging out at his parents…"_

Four things planted themselves in Cloud's mind. One, he knew someone who had a close, personal relationship with both a police officer and a psychiatrist. Two, because of the nature of the situation, and the fact that Vincent's parents might actually _listen_ to what had happened instead of putting Sora thought the basic steps and tossing him into foster care, this could work greatly to their advantage. Three, he needed to get a hold of Vincent immediately and see if anything could be done before the situation elevated, and four; that the memory he had just had was one of the first times Zack had looked at him _that_ way. The way that sent shivers down his spine and made him hot all over, the way that made him feel like he was possessed and wanted, the way that made his heart race, melt under those deep violet eyes, and yearn to kiss those soft, warm lips as if there were nothing else in the world.

 _I have to call him…_ Cloud told himself, heart clenching at the thought. He wasn't sure if he was ready, but if the roles were reversed and he was attempting to make things better and Zack was just refusing to talk to him at all…he couldn't imagine the pain he would be in. He was upset, confused, and angry, but he wanted to know what the other boy had to say. He wanted for everything to be a misunderstanding, he wanted the image of Zack and Sephiroth intertwined to vanish from his mind, he wanted to be his boyfriend… But first, he had to call Vincent.

Sora blinked as the blonde moved after such a long period of stillness, watching as he pulled his phone from his pocket and held down the power button to turn it on. "Gotta make a call?"

Cloud looked over at the boy at his side, reached over and ruffled his hair, then replied, "I think I know someone who might be able to help us. I'm going to go outside and make a few calls." He nodded to the younger boy. "I won't tell Riku about it." The blonde put emphasis in his words and Sora knew he was talking about cutting himself. "But you should. If he found out later from someone else, which would be worse?"

Sora thought for a moment, then nodded back, searching Cloud's eyes. "Thank you."

Sighing and shaking his head in affectionate exasperation, the older boy set his cup down and moved towards the hallway, intent on making his way towards the front of the hospital and outside where there would be a signal. The nurses running down the hall caught his attention before he could do so, one of them prattling on about a girl who had just miraculously awoken from a coma. Eyes wide, Cloud called for Sora, the brunette jumping to his feet and chasing after him as the blonde ran back towards Naminé's room.

-xxxo0:O:0oxx-

Kurei checked the clock on the wall again, sighing and flipping the channel on the television. It was getting late, and still Tasogare hadn't called him back or tried to contact Kairi. The magenta-headed girl had dosed off on the other end of the couch, undoubtedly due to her painkillers, Kurei smiling at Miki who had decided to use the girl as a bed. Leaning his head back against the couch cushions the closed his eyes, the bad feeling he had before leaving him slowly. Maybe she was through now, maybe whatever she had been doing was done…

The smell of lilac calming him and coaxing him to sleep, Kurei yawned. Wiping his eyes he stood from the couch, walking to the front door and letting himself outside, taking in the crisp night air as he looked across the countryside. Lights were blazing at the park but the rest of the city was fairly dim, the library's lighting definitely off for the night. With another sigh he walked to the other end of the porch, sitting down on the wooden swing and rocking himself slightly, looking up at the stars. He thought he heard a wolf howl in the distance, but maybe it was just his imagination. Staring and rocking, letting daydreams flit through his thoughts, he wondered what his friend had been up to and if she would tell this time, and maybe include him the next.

-x-x-x-

Tasogare opened her eyes, letting out a held breath, the chamber darker than she had remembered it being when her consciousness had left it. "Shiloh?" She called, light immediately taking form in the shape of a small boy beside her, the ghost lifting a hand and illuminating the surrounding area. Nodding to him she turned towards the book before her, reaching out to touch it, and closed the tome gently before backing away and walking off towards the hallway leading back upstairs. "Let's go home."

"You're taking me with you this time?" Shiloh asked, amusement in his voice.

Making an affirming sound, Taso replied, "I think I like it better that way. I don't want you to feel caged in this place and I can't deny I enjoy you being with me." The boy followed after her, winding through hallways and corridors until they reached the back of the public library, Tasogare squeezing her way out of the chained emergency exit as she had many times before. "Besides," she said, grinning as she breathed in cool, fresh air and began making her way through town towards her home, long mint curls bouncing merrily on her shoulders, "Naminé might miss you if you stay gone for too long."

Her brother didn't comment, just followed her in silence, but there was an unmistakable smile across his lips.

-xxxo0:O:0oxx-

As soon as Axel walked into the hospital he knew something was going on. Several people in the waiting room were talking amongst one another about a case in the intensive care ward, the red-head following the trail of gossiping patients and attendees when he realized Sora and Riku were no longer there. It didn't take long to find Naminé's room, people crowded around the entrance, nurses trying to usher patients back to their rooms and spectators away from the door. Weaving his way to the front, a nurse stopping him from going any further, Axel called into the room, "Riku! Is she okay?"

The blind boy called a reply he couldn't understand, and then Sora appeared a moment later. "Let him through, he's a friend." He said to the nurse, and she nodded then let him pass. The brunette grinned up at the older boy, saying excitedly, "I can't believe it; no one thought it would happen this soon!"

"What happened?" Axel asked in confusion, peering past the blue-eyed boy to where Cloud and Riku were hovering over a hospital bed.

He walked over to the siblings, pressing against the blind boy's back, eyes going wide when Naminé looked up at him. The small girl noticed his gaze and smiled at him with her eyes, voice not yet strong enough to speak. "She's awake." Riku said softly, leaning back against his boyfriend, the older boy wrapping his arms around the younger boy's shoulders.

Axel looked over at Cloud when the blonde began to speak. "Doctor Cid said it's nothing like anything he's ever seen before. He didn't have much else to say besides that, he just went to go contact our parents." The older boy crossed his arms over his chest leisurely, looking down at Naminé. "I think he was in shock."

"That's insane! Even the doctors don't know what's going on…" Axel shook his head and sighed, squeezing the boy in his arms affectionately. "Did they say how long she would have to stay here?"

"No…nothing yet," Riku replied, "but she has a broken arm and collar bone, and was in a coma, so I'm guessing it's not going to be any time soon."

Axel nuzzled into the top of Riku's head, inhaling his scent and closing his eyes lightly. His own excitement about _Chakram_ seemed trivial compared to Riku's joy. He decided to save it for later; there were more important things to celebrate at the moment.

A sudden gasp from behind them caused the red-head to turn and look over his shoulder, the boy in his arms turning as well to follow the sound. Sora was looking out into the hallway then suddenly turned around and rushed over to Riku, his face a mix of worry and apprehension. "I think I just saw Roxas' mother walking towards the other end of the hospital." His eyes flickered with sadness. "She looked pissed…"

"You're not the one who shot Roxas, your father is," Riku told the fretting boy, reaching out and touching his arm, "Let's go see if he's woken up yet…"

"No, I want you to stay here with Naminé." Sora said, shaking his head vigorously. "I-I'll be alright. I'm nervous, but this is something I have to deal with. If Roxas can take a bullet for me I can go explain what happened to his mother. I don't want him waking up to a bunch of questions and stress." His voice was soft, his eyes downcast. "I owe him that much."

Riku hesitated, clinging to Sora as if unsure of what to do, then let out a sigh and released him. "We'll come find you, don't leave without telling me."

"I won't." Sora assured, moving to hug his friend before leaving, Axel watching with a tender look in his eyes. The brunette's azure flitted up to meet the older boy's cat-green, smiling as he turned from Riku and left the room, walking off to go find his boyfriend.

Riku stood there for a moment, looking as if he might follow after the boy, but then turned back towards Axel and fisted the boy's shirt in his hand. The red-head pulled the younger boy against him, stroking his hair gently, looking back to Naminé. She was watching them silently, Cloud holding her hand as he explained to her what had happened from first-hand experience. She was listening to her older brother and nodding when he asked her if she understood him, but her eyes were fixated on Riku and Axel, thoughtful expression on her face as if trying to comprehend the two boys.

"…you were trapped. A girl named Tasogare was there; her cousin Kairi was the one in the other car. I pried the door open and she pulled you out, if she hadn't have been there I don't know if I would have been able to get to you. I think she goes to school with you, when we were in the waiting room she said something about an art class?" Naminé squeezed is hand, indicating her 'yes', the blonde nodding and continuing on. "They thought you were in a coma, they didn't know when or if you were ever going to wake up. Do you remember anything? Are you in pain?"

Curling her fingers around her older brother's she tugged gently. _Stop worrying so much, I'm back now._ She thought to herself, heart bubbling with joy as her attention once again turned from Cloud to Riku. She had returned to the land of the living to see her Ri-kun had found someone that gave him life. Never had she seen such a look of adoration from the usually quiet, rather emo boy. Axel shared the same look, seeming content to just hold the pale blonde like he was his shield or guardian. What had been a fleeting hint of attraction before at school had grown into something so much more. Naminé, giggling inwardly, wondered if Axel had managed to kiss Riku yet. It had only been a few days but they already seemed to be at that level. Their connection was intimate in a way she had only read about in her books. It was enchanting to watch.

Axel, catching Naminé's eyes again, arched his eyebrows nervously. Was that a look of disapproval? Or was she simply trying to wrap her mind around the fact that the two were obviously together? When Riku shifted in his arms Axel had to keep himself from jumping, the boy tugging on his shirt until the singer looked down at him. "Why are you so tense?" he asked gently. "She likes you Axel, if she didn't she wouldn't have let me go with you last night."

 _There goes Riku being psychic again_ … Sighing and turning from Naminé's eyes, leaning his cheek against the smaller boy's forehead, Axel murmured in reply, "I don't know, I feel like I shouldn't be here. This is a family thing, aren't I kind of out of place?"

Laughing softly, Riku whispered, "Who's watching us, Cloud or Naminé?"

"Both I think." Axel replied, pouting in his tone.

"And you were telling _me_ not to worry about P.D.A.?"

"Shut up…"

-x-x-x-

Sora held his breath. It was definitely Roxas' mother, dressed in the same glamorous outfit she had been in when she left the house, purse clutched in one hand, a glower pursing her lips. She was standing against a wall near a closed door down the hall from Naminé's room, undoubtedly waiting for the doctor to open the room and allow her inside to see her son. A sign around the handle of the door read _Do Not Disturb_ , Sora slightly impressed with the fact that the woman hadn't just demanded access because she was the patient's mother. She didn't seem like the type that would stand for being kept waiting, but maybe it was different when Roxas was concerned.

Stilling his nerves, Sora stepped around the corner and began walking towards her, the woman turning and watching his approach with hard eyes. The brunette looked up at her, the tall, sleek woman made only taller by her heels, silent and waiting for her wrath to descend upon him.

"The doctor who called me informed me that my son had been taken to the emergency room in regards to a _gunshot_ wound." She said, soft yet curt, Sora swallowing hard and nodding at her words. "He then proceeded to ask me about insurance, police reports, and payment procedures, all of which I quickly told him he could shove up his pompous ass. The nerve, to call to tell me my son is in the _hospital_ and then to ask me how I was going to pay for it..." She crossed her arms over her waist, raising a hand to her lips as if smoking a cigarette. "God, I need some nicotine."

Still waiting for a slap or a series of harsh words, Sora watched her silently, wondering if she was going to continue. He most definitely did not want to interrupt her or repeat information she was already aware of, or in any way make things worse. The woman stood still and silent, puffing on her imaginary cigarette and staring off into the distance, a heavy silence falling over them. Gathering his voice, Sora said, "He was protecting me."

The woman blinked and looked down at him, raising an eyebrow. "So it's your fault he was shot?"

Gritting his teeth and bracing himself, the boy nodded. "We went back to my house after you left…I talked him into it, we shouldn't have. My father was there, drunk as usual…"

Anger flaring in her eyes, she hissed, "Your _father_ shot my son?" Searching her eyes, Sora hesitated but nodded. "And you say Roxas was protecting you, so your own flesh and blood was ready to shoot you? Kill you in cold blood as if you were nothing to him?"

Shifting uneasily, Sora replied softly, "I don't think he's thought I was anything in a long time, ma'am…"

Eyes softening at the brunette's sad look and quivering voice, she took a step forward and reached out a slender hand, pulling the boy to her chest. Sora gasped lightly, shocked at the display of affection, hesitating before hugging her back slightly, the woman pulling away a moment later. She cupped his face in her hand when they had parted, searching his eyes and saying. "You mean enough to my son that he would die for you. Knowing this, and knowing of the things that you've been through, I cannot stand idly by and allow something like this to happen again." Sora's eyes shimmered, unable to look away from where the woman's fingers held his chin firmly in place, "I know you're a minor, and I know you're scared, but I am going to contact the police about what has happened. There is no other way. Justice must be served." As Sora tried to speak she shushed him, continuing. "We will figure out the details when the time comes. I hold a certain…sway over a few of the city officers. I'm sure I can persuade them to let you stay with us until something can be done, though I cannot guarantee the court will let you permanently live with us. I'm not related to you in any way, and the best place for a child to be is with its mother."

"My mother won't let me stay with her…I…" He swallowed nervously. "I don't have anyone but Roxas."

Silent, searching the boy's eyes, the woman nodded. "I'll see what I can do. Take care of my son."

Blinking, Sora watched Roxas' mother turn and walk off down the corridor, turning around a corner and out of sight. What was going on? First Cloud said he knew someone, now Roxas' mother was going to help… Tears stinging his eyes, the brunette sniffed. All of this was happening because of Roxas. Instead of running away they were actually going to be able to _do_ something about his father.

After a while the door clicked open and a nurse walked out, Sora entering the room while she stood at the doorway, shoes tapping across the linoleum as he walked to Roxas' bedside. The blonde looked up at him groggily, reaching up a hand which the younger boy clasped in his tightly. "Hey…" Roxas whispered hoarsely, noticing the younger boy's tears. "What's wrong?"

"You almost died, Rox, you wouldn't have gotten hurt if I…"

Sora broke down crying, leaning down and pressing his face into Roxas' chest, the older boy wrapping his arms around his shaking boyfriend and whispering to him softly. The nurse at the door watched for a moment then decided to give the two boys some privacy, walking off down the hallway to report to the doctor and surgeon of the boy's condition. Sora and Roxas held one another tightly as she left, Roxas trying to comfort the younger boy while Sora cried and apologized over and over again. "Baby, it's not your fault, I love you. Don't cry Sora, please…"

"I love you Rox, I'm so sorry," the younger boy whimpered brokenly, his breath hitching with wracked sobs, "I love you so much…"

The blonde tugged the brunette up into they were looking into one another's eyes, then leaned up ever so slightly and pressed his lips to Sora's. Closing his eyes, tears still falling down his cheeks, the boy kissed him back, hiccupping when the blonde pulled away. "I love you." Roxas whispered. "I told you I would protect you. I will never let anything happen to you ever again." Smiling as Sora leaned in again, he repeated before their lips touched, " _I love you_."

They parted a moment later, both smiling at one another. Sniffing and laughing, the younger boy pulled over a nearby chair and sat next to the blonde's bed, intertwining their hands again once he had taken his seat. "You're crazy; I can't believe you did that."

"What? Dive in front of a bullet to save you?"

"Yeah, that for one, and rescuing me in the first place, introducing me to your mom…"

Roxas looked around the room, saying, "I can't believe she's not here yet, it's usually dad who doesn't show up."

"Oh, she was here," Sora replied, nodding, "She told me she was going to try to help me, said we had to talk to the cops about what had happened…"

Blinking in surprise, Roxas asked, "My mother actually said she would help you?" With a chuckle, he added, "She must really like you, usually she just helps people inadvertently, but for her to actually tell you she would help you out…"

"She said she knew some people who worked for the city police?" Sora asked, tilting his head lightly.

Roxas nodded, "Yeah, two of my uncles and a few friends, and I'm pretty sure they know the chief of police which is always a good ace in the hole."

"Wow, what do your parents do?" The brunette asked, the older boy squeezing his hand.

"My mom doesn't do anything anymore; she used to be a school teacher. I don't know how she handled it, she hates children." Smiling, Roxas continued. "My father is a lawyer in a very successful firm; needless to say he makes enough money to support us and her lavish lifestyle."

"Your father's a lawyer?" Sora asked, eyes lighting up. "Isn't that a good thing?"

"Definitely," Roxas replied, laughing at his boyfriend's giddy expression, "You're dad's going to be put away for a long, long time." The blonde's eyes were dancing. "He's never going to be able to hurt you again."

-xxxo0:O:0oxx-

"Hey everybody! You ready to hit this beat?"

Screaming girls near the front of the stage nearly blocked out Yuffie and Selphie, the two girls jumping and letting out jubilant cries. " _Saberflight_! _Saberflight_! _Saberflight_!"

 _One Winged Angel_ had yet to take the platform; the girls had been singing for almost an hour straight, the crowd demanding more. Tifa had left before the band had even gone on stage, Yuna and Paine defending the small blonde while the dark-haired girl stormed off in a rage. Rikku could sing if she wanted to, she never asked for anything and if she wanted to take the spotlight for once she was allowed to. Tifa was being a demanding diva, and Yuna told her so quite matter-of-factly before the singer walked off.

Larxene had agreed to help them out, taking over the drums with her synthesizer and mixing up the beat, Yuna on violin, Paine on electric guitar, and Rikku singing. Marluxia joined Demyx and Zexion in the crowd, cheering on his fellow band mate and their friends excitedly.

 _Saberflight_ 's music was upbeat and rather techno-y, but the one they were about to perform topped all the rest. Rikku glanced over at Paine, her girlfriend winking at her and blowing a kiss, the blonde giggling. This would be the one, the song that everyone would remember when someone spoke the name of _Saberflight_. It was an original, one they had never performed before, and to top it all off the drummer was singing! Larxene was at the ready to her back, Yuna giving her a thumbs-up when she turned to look back at her. "Ready?" Rikku asked, the brunette nodding, lifting her violin to her chin and stringing out a melody. Larxene, taking her cue, began spinning out a series of mixed sounds and techno drums, Paine quickly picking up the pace. The dark-haired girl and Larxene both had microphones along with Rikku, singing backup when the braided blonde began to sing.

" _I'm in serious shit, I feel totally lost  
If I'm asking for help it's only because  
Being with you has opened my eyes  
Could I ever believe such a perfect surprise?_

 _I keep asking myself, wondering how  
I keep closing my eyes but I can't block you out  
Wanna fly to a place where it's just you and me_  
_Nobody else so we can be free…  
So we can be free…_"

"It's about her and Paine!" Yuffie squealed at Selphie's inquiry. "Just listen," the girl laughed, "It's so cute!"

"This is going to be the buzz for a while," Zexion said, crossing his arms over his chest and smiling up at a cheering Marluxia.

"Yeah Larx kick some _ass_! Woo-hoo!"

"It's about her and Paine?" Demyx asked the silver-haired boy at his side, Zexion nodding.

"Most definitely." The other replied, "They're coming out as a couple."

The dirty-blonde turned away, blushing lightly. _A couple…_ Why did his heart keep pounding every time he looked at the other boy?

" _And I'm all mixed up, feeling cornered and rushed  
They say it's my fault but I want her so much  
Wanna fly her away where the sun and the rain  
Come in over my face, wash away all the shame_

 _When they stop and stare, don't worry me  
Cuz' I'm feeling for her what she's feeling for me  
I can try to pretend, I can try to forget,  
But it's driving me mad  
Going out of my head…_"

Did he really like Zexion? Did Zexion really like him back? Demyx didn't think Axel would lie to him about something like that, but he just couldn't see it in his friends face. _How long have you felt things towards me, Zex? Have I waited too long?_

Zexion, glancing over at the other boy, frowned slightly. What was that look across Demyx's face. Did he disapprove of Rikku and Paine? Should he have not said anything about it? Confused, the slate-eyed boy tried not to think about it too much, turning back towards the stage when all the music died but Yuna's violin, and Rikku sang softly;

" _Mother, looking at me  
Tell me what do you see  
Yes, I've lost my mind…_

 _Daddy, looking at me_  
Will I ever be free?  
Have I crossed the line…?" **(4)**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1)Prayer of the Refugee by Rise Against
> 
> (2) and (3) are random band names I made up that sound KH-ish!
> 
> (4)All The Things She Said by t.A.T.u.


	18. Reminiscence

Things moved in a blur over the next two weeks. Riku was in and out of the hospital with Cloud, the boys visiting Naminé as much as they could now that she was conscious. The girl was recovering nicely; her bruises were steadily fading and her broken arm mending, but she was still weak and needed to go through physical therapy for her injuries. She was all smiles and laughter despite her pain, typical Naminé behavior. Riku was overjoyed to have her back, but in a way as he found his sister again he lost Axel. The singer was preoccupied with _Chakram_ 's newfound fame and had been out of town for the last week. The blind boy missed him more than he had thought he would, but as the weekend neared the red-head called him to tell him the band was heading back to Dashilaw. They should be home within the next day or two.

Cloud hadn't really spoken to Zack since the day after Naminé had woken up. They had met at the mall, the older boy explained what had happened, and Cloud had said he needed time to think about things. Truthfully the blonde wanted to wait and see what he would do, if Zack would run back to Sephiroth if he rejected him. As the days passed nothing happened, the violet-eyed boy seeming content to bide his time and wait for Cloud to come to him. They would pass one another in the hallways at college, Zack giving Cloud a soft smile but leaving the younger alone when the blonde made no move to talk to him. It was eating Cloud up inside. He wanted to be with the other boy, but Naminé needed him now more than ever. Was using his sister as an excuse really as shady as he thought it was? He didn't want to make up his mind, not this soon after, but his heart was slowly tearing in two.

Roxas' mother and father were taking care of things with Sora, the brunette currently living with them as the adults smoothed things over after the shooting incident. Vincent's parents had helped as well, Vincent's mother making a full psyche evaluation of the small brunette and deeming him non-suicidal, though he was now required to check in with a counselor once every two weeks to make sure his mental state remained stable. Sora, of course, had agreed; talking to a shrink once every couple of weeks was a small price to pay to be able to live with his boyfriend in a safe, warm household. Vincent's father had been one of several officers who had gone to Sora's house and arrested his father. The man was being held for several counts of assult, child abuse, and substance abuse and would remain in jail until his trial without bail. Not that there was anyone who would pay the bail anyway. The few remaining things belonging to Sora that were strewn across his father's house were moved to Roxas' home immediately after the arrest, assuring Sora would never have to go back again.

Roxas had been released from the hospital after a week and a half of close observation. The blonde spent most of his time in bed, Sora at his side constantly, bringing him soup and playing video games with him as the older boy slowly healed. The two boys called Riku constantly, updating the pale blonde with Roxas' progress as Riku updated them with Naminé's. Once Naminé even surprised the boys by calling from Riku's phone, saying once she was strong enough to walk that Riku and she would come and visit. Roxas' mother quirked a half-smile when the two boys excitedly asked her if they could have visitors, and then agreed.

Kairi and Tasogare stayed at her house in the country for the most part. Once Taso had asked if the younger girl wanted to go into town to get groceries, knowing her cousin must be going stir crazy, but as soon as Kairi sat down in the passenger's seat she had a horrible flash back of Naminé's car swerving off the side of the road and had to go back inside immediately. Kurei came over and kept her company instead.

Riku had started going back to school, Zexion, Yuffie, and Demyx helping him through the halls and sitting with him during lunch. It was weird with only half of their group of friends attending classes but Naminé had told him he needed to go back to school _and_ pick up her homework so they didn't fall to far behind. She would be able to go to school with a broken arm, so after another week or so of physical therapy she would be back in class with the rest of them. Yuffie was helping with Naminé's homework, and Demyx and Zexion were busy picking up all of Axel's homework to give to the singer when he was back in town. They were all planning on meeting up at Axel's house for a congratulatory party on _Chakram_ 's success, Naminé's recovery, and of course a study hall to make up on missed classes and piling up homework. It would be a fun way to catch up on schoolwork and hang out at the same time. Everyone was buzzing about the upcoming event through the next few days.

-xxxo0:O:0oxx-

It was a cold, windy Wednesday. The skies were grey with the threats of a snow storm rolling in from the northwest though it had yet to rear its ugly head. Cloud drove Riku to school early and dropped him off, Demyx meeting the blind boy in the parking lot to walk him up the front steps into the school. "Hey guys! Heard about the snow?" The perky blonde asked as Riku climbed out of his brother's silver mustang.

"Yeah, it's supposed to hit us hard towards this weekend, right?" Cloud asked, leaning low in his seat to meet eyes with the teen.

Demyx leaned down, forearm pressing against the hood of the car, Riku taking his other hand, "Yeah! Wait until it starts coming down, there's nothing like a snowstorm in Dashilaw!"

"We never had heavy snowfall back home." Riku said, smiling at his friend's enthusiasm. "It was always more of a fuss than an actual storm."

"Call me when you get out of class bro." Cloud said to Riku, directing a wave towards Demyx.

"I will!" The younger boy called, Demyx waving back to the older boy and shutting the door, watching the car drive away before turning to Riku.

"Come on, Zexi and Yuffie were gonna meet us before class."

Riku allowed himself to be pulled along, stepping up when he felt Demyx's body shift as they reached the stairs, then following the older boy into the building. Heat immediately enveloped him when the double doors shut behind them, blocking out the chilled air and sending a shiver down his spine. "I didn't realize it was so cold outside!" The blind boy said, rubbing his cheeks to warm them. "Does the snow really get that bad here?"

"We were snowed in for a week last December," Demyx replied, searching the hallways for any sign of their friends, "but it's only just now September, so this storm probably won't be so bad."

Riku listened in amazement, he loved the thought of a couple of inches of snow in the winter but he couldn't imagine having so much snow to be actually snowed in! Hopefully Axel would be back in town before the storm hit, Riku would hate to be separated from the older boy any longer than he had been already. Cloud had already said Riku could continue to stay with Axel until Naminé was out of the hospital, and after she was released they would talk about living arrangements. Riku's parents were in and out of town dealing with doctors and hospital bills but they were mainly preoccupied with work. After staying in town for a few days after Naminé had woken up they set off again to different cities, and though they checked in on their children often they weren't around enough for it to really matter if Riku stayed at home. Once Naminé was sent home things would be different; she would need someone to be with her, and since neither she nor Riku could drive Cloud was thinking about moving back home temporarily to drive them back and forth from school. All the bugs hadn't quite been worked out yet, but Cloud assured his younger siblings that they'd figure out something and not to worry. He would handle it.

Riku was planning on asking Axel about it when the singer returned home, if Axel didn't mind for Riku to stay with him then maybe Naminé could too and they could get rides from Axel. That way Cloud wouldn't have to move back and forth from his apartment and have to drive them to school then to college and back to their school to pick them up at the end of the day. It made sense to Riku, he just didn't know what Axel would think, and he already felt awkward enough that he was living with the other boy. He didn't want to overstep any boundaries by asking if Naminé could stay with them too. Then again Reno and Cloud were friends as well, so maybe the older boys could come to some sort of agreement about it.

Yuffie's chipper voice bounced down the hall to greet Riku's ears from up ahead, butterscotch and coffee filling his senses. The girl's laugher was easy to pick out in any setting but especially now before class had begun and students had yet to fill the halls. Another girl's laughter echoed after hers, Selphie's if Riku wasn't mistaken. She always seemed to smell like grapes the few times she had been near Riku, and today was no exception. "What are you two girls going on about now?" Demyx asked as they turned towards the lunch room, three figures standing near one of the large windows lighting the corridor.

Zexion was leaning back against the large pane of thick glass, a light fog surrounding him where his body heat met the cold window. "They're going on about the concert again;" the slate-eyed boy replied, shaking his head in mock-aggravation. "Larxene called them before school and told them how well the big shots in Jepsin **(1)** liked _Chakram_ 's music."

"Axel said they were writing new songs too," Riku added, smiling as he stepped from Demyx's side and felt along the wall to stand next to Zexion. "He was so excited when he called yesterday."

"I wonder what they'll be about!" Yuffie said excitedly, clapping her hands together. "Will they write about us you think? Put us in one of their songs?"

Selphie, laughing again, replied dramatically, "We could be famous! People would be singing about _us_ on the radio!"

She and Yuffie held their fists up like microphones and began singing a hyper, embellished tune, Yuffie turning to Demyx and saying with a thumbs-up, "It's so cool to know rock stars!"

The blonde boy, watching the two girls with amusement, suddenly began playing air guitar, Selphie and Yuffie squealing in delight. "We could totally start our own band!" The dark-haired girl giggled, "Axel could totally hook us up now that _Chakram_ 's famous!"

"They're not famous yet, and you guys aren't coordinated enough to even _consider_ forming a band!" Zexion scoffed, sighing and looking over at Riku. The pale blonde was smiling softly, hands pressed to the wall behind him, listening to the people around him. "You and Axel doing alright?" The older boy asked softly, Riku turning towards his voice. "You've been dating for two weeks now, it must suck that he's been gone for half of it."

Chuckling, Riku replied, "Yeah, it sucks, but I can't exactly 'see' him every day anyway. Hearing his voice is almost as good as having him here." Smiling secretively, a slight blush on his cheeks, he whispered, "He sings me to sleep sometimes."

Eyes softening, Zexion looked from Riku to Demyx, the blonde's laughter chiming through his mind. "That's sweet of him…"

Demyx, seeming to sense Zexion's gaze, looked over and met his eyes. They held that look for a moment before Yuffie pulled Demyx off towards the lunch room, breaking their eye-contact. "Come on! I wanted to grab a snack before the bell rang!"

Zexion wondered, as he took Riku's hand and walked back down the hall towards their first class, if there would ever be a time when he would hear Demyx on the other side of the phone before drifting off to sleep.

-x-x-x-

Riku called the hospital at lunch to check on Naminé. She was fine, chatting with the nurses and trying to bribe them into bringing her another scoop of vanilla ice cream (the hospital normally only served a single scoop with their meals), and informed him that they had changed her cast earlier. Along with fresh wrappings they had applied a different cast the hospital ward had just received, and to Naminé's delight it just so happened to be hot pink. " _It's so people won't bump into you because they don't notice the cast! I mean, who can ignore something that's bright pink?_ "

Riku, laughing, had replied that it suited her and he would bring some sharpies to help her decorate it. He might be blind, but he had the whole writing/drawing thing down to a science. A few minutes later Naminé got off the phone, telling Riku to eat something and call his boyfriend while he was still on his lunch break. Blushing, the boy had agreed, promising to see her after school. Yuffie squealed "I love you Nami!" as Riku ended the call, hearing his sister laugh as his phone clicked off.

"She heard you." Riku said, laughter in his tone, shifting towards the girl beside him. "You should come see her again; she got a new cast today."

"I'll have to go buy more stickers!" Yuffie replied with a grin, looking from Riku to the boys sitting across from her. "You two should come too!"

Zexion nodded, chewing a piece of his apple and looking to Demyx. The blonde boy returned his look and said with a grin, "Yeah, we haven't seen Naminé in almost a week, we'll have to go visit!"

While discussions of when visits to Naminé would occur, Riku called Axel. He smiled to himself when the ringing stopped as the other answered his call, heart jumping when the older boy's voice met his ears. " _Hey there, how's my favorite boyfriend today?_ "

"I'm your _only_ boyfriend!" Riku scowled playfully, Axel's laughter filling him with warmth.

" _Yes you are, and I miss you very much_." The red-head said, a smile in his tone, " _How's school?_ "

"Boring as usual," the blind boy replied, taking a bite out of his turkey sub, "Though it seems the cafeteria ladies have decided to change up the menu. I _think_ the special today was brains but I can't quite be sure. It's too malformed."

" _So of course Demyx decided to try it_."

Grinning, Riku replied, "You should have heard the gagging noises he was making earlier when he tried the first bite."

Laughing, the older boy said, " _So we're all getting together at my place when we get back into town, right? Have you spread the word?_ "

"The word has officially been spread; everyone's been talking about it." Yuffie laughed suddenly at something Demyx had said, Riku smirking then adding, "Oh, and apparently Yuffie and Selphie think they're deserving of being in one of your soon-to-be-famous songs. They were performing quite energetically in the hallways before class."

" _Scary, isn't it?_ "

Riku rolled his eyes, taking another bite of his sandwich. "You have no idea."

" _I don't know about the girls, but I think I've almost finished that song you like_."

"The one you keep singing to me?" Riku asked, remembering the times he'd heard Axel sing it in the past.

Making an affirming noise, the other replied, " _I'm still working on it, but I'm getting close_."

"That's good! Is it going to be one of the songs you're going to sing at _Chakram's_ debut?"

" _I haven't decided yet, we're working on several..._ " Axel trailed off for a moment then said something to someone in the background. They talked for a moment then the boy returned to his conversation with Riku. " _Sorry, Larx was telling me we're stopping to eat lunch. Hopefully someplace that doesn't serve brains_."

"Still enjoying your giant bus?" Riku asked teasingly.

" _Hey, it's a nice bus; seatbelts and everything, and plenty of room for our equipment._ " He hesitated a moment, then whispered, " _It makes me feel like I'm a kid back in middle school though, and the driver scares me_."

Laughing, Riku asked, "Why does he _scare_ you? Doesn't he work for the scouting agency?"

" _Yeah but he's one of those completely silent types that glares at me when I'm within death-ray-vision range. He freaks Marl out too_." With a sigh he added, " _Hopefully we'll get the limo upgrade soon._ "

"I'm sure you will." Riku replied sarcastically.

The older boy laughed at the younger boy's tone. " _Okay, not soon, but eventually_."

"And what are you going to do if the limo driver ends up being creepy too?" Riku asked.

Axel simply replied, " _That's what they made the window divider between the driver's seat and the rest of the limo for!_ "

-x-x-x-

Naminé sighed, trying to relax the tension in her shoulders and back, her neck throbbing deftly from the yoga position she had just attempted. "I still can't do that one, it hurts too much."

The nurse nodded. "That's fine, keep working on it. I'll make you an appointment with a massage therapist for later this afternoon; it should help with your muscle cramping and soreness."

"You said it should go away when I'm done with therapy?" the younger girl asked, making a fist and lifting her good arm above her head, then bending it back over her shoulder.

The nurse nodded, watching Naminé lift then bend, lift then bend, replying, "You'll need physical therapy once your arm has healed, but the initial tightening of muscles and misalignment of your back and shoulders should fade in the next week or so." She flipped through some of the pages in the notebook she was holding, adding, "We'll prescribe pain killers, of course, when you're sent home Friday."

Naminé stopped her arm-lifts and looked over at the older girl, eyes wide. "You're sending me home?"

The nurse nodded; a smile across her lips. "I thought Doctor Cid had already seen you today, he spoke to me about it earlier." She drew a pen from her pocket, writing something down in her notes. "I told him how well you were progressing with physical therapy and he decided you should be okay to go home." The nurse looked up from her writing, "Just remember not to strain yourself when you do these exercises at home, I'm going to make you a list of stretches and yoga positions I'd like you to try." Eyes flitted back down to her notebook, pen moving back and forth once again. "You'll need to call me at the end of the day and give me feedback so I can monitor your progress, okay?"

Nodding excitedly, Naminé cringed as her neck popped and a sudden heat washed over her. "Ow, I popped my neck again…"

"That will happen, along with your upper and lower back, as your joints loosen up from the stress they endured during the crash." She walked over to the younger girl, turning her around and feeling up the girl's spine with her thumbs. "You probably need to see a chiropractor, I'll write down our hospital recommendation in your send-home file."

 _Home…_ Smiling giddily, Naminé earnestly went back to her therapeutic exercises. She was going home this weekend! She couldn't wait to tell Cloud and Riku.

-xxxo0:O:0oxx-

Kairi was slowly starting to be able to walk without cringing. Her ribs were still wrapped in thick bandages (and a new compression support-belt from the doctor's office that pulled her chest in super tight to help with the healing) but she had perfected the art of gliding across the floor instead of taking actual steps, which reduced the bounce in her movements. No bounce meant no pain. She hummed happily to herself as she slid around the kitchen in socked feet, gathering a bowl, measuring cups, pancake mix, and milk and eggs from the refrigerator. Pancakes for lunch, yum yum! "I know Taso has chocolate chips somewhere..." The petite girl said to herself, placing a hand on her hip and standing on her toes to look in the top shelves of the pantry. "Sprinkles, nuts, gumdrops…ah-hah!" She reached up and grabbed a small bag of white and dark chocolate chips, pulling it off of the shelf and placing it on the counter. She closed the pantry, turned to the stove and clicked on one of the burners before fetching a skillet from beside the sink. She'd had a craving for pancakes since she'd woken up hours ago and she wasn't about to wait for her cousin to get home, who knew how long that would be? She'd told Kairi she was going to run a few errands; grocery, mall, and maybe stop by school to check in with her teachers. Taso would probably stop at the library and hang out with Kurei for a bit before heading home too. Kurei…

Kairi blushed, pouting lightly as she cracked the eggs into her bowl and added pancake mix and milk, stirring the concoction with a large wooden spoon. He hadn't come to see her today, and she felt silly for expecting him to. He was Tasogare's best friend, not hers, she shouldn't expect him to sit around the house with her all the time and keep her company. It wasn't like they were dating or anything. Face hot and bright red she stirred the mix harder, trying not to imagine Kurei being her boyfriend. It would never happen, he was older than her and so much more mature, plus they didn't even live in the same town. She was a silly girl with a silly crush. "Silly, silly, silly…" She muttered to herself, turning her thoughts from boys back to pancakes, and starting to hum again.

-x-x-x-

Tasogare had parked her white charger at the library and waited for Kurei, the boy pulling up in his convertible and parking beside her, teal chameleon paint flashing in the sunlight. The two stood against the side of the library facing the parking lot in silence for a long while, Kurei noticing the key resting between her blouse and jacket, dangling from her neck on a long, thin chain. "That's the key from your old house isn't it?" The boy asked, golden irises searching Taso's violet eyes. "Before Shiloh…?"

The girl dropped her head slightly, reaching up and clasping her hand around the trinket, and then softly replied, "It's one of the few things that survived the fire after father burned the house down. He was so distraught, it was the only thing he could think to do; burn away the past and move on to a new future." She looked over at Kurei, saying, "This reminded me of Shiloh, like a part of him was trapped within this old brass. I found it in the ashes that had once been our beautiful home and took it with me when we moved so that unlike my mother and father _I_ would never forget."

"I'm sorry Taso," Kurei whispered, arching his eyebrows in concern, "I should have been there, I shouldn't have listened to what they said about you. I knew better…"

Tasogare turned and wrapped an arm around her friend's shoulder, the boy returning her embrace. "I understand Kurei, I've never blamed you. I chose this path and I continue to walk it every day." She hesitated as they pulled away, leaning in and whispering in his ear, "Do you feel him?"

Kurei's eyes widened, "You mean…?"

Mint curls bounced on her shoulders as she turned away from her friend and began walking towards the country-side, clasping her hands behind her and laughing as she looked back at him. "Come on! We haven't gone walking in such a long time and who knows when we'll have a chance to again." A smile quirked her lips, "We wouldn't want to get caught up in a snowstorm again, would we Kurei?"

A shock of amazement shot through the blue-haired boy as he saw the ghost of an image walking beside Taso, a tall pale boy with white hair and red-gold eyes. Swallowing, Kurei followed after her, the image fading in and out of his sight. So Shiloh was back, no longer hidden in the confines of the library as he had been since Tasogare's scare all those years ago. She had been so terrified for so long, he wondered absently what had caused her to call her brother's ghost out of the ancient tomes and back into the daylight. Then suddenly it hit him; Naminé.

He caught up to Taso, walking at her side as they crossed the alley and began through the open field behind the library. Glancing over at Shiloh, who was walking on the other side of Tasogare, Kurei asked, "So you're the reason Naminé woke up so quickly out of her coma?"

Shiloh looked over at him, his form still fading in and out of his sight, the ghost smiling and replying, "It wasn't all me, I was merely their guide. Tasogare and Naminé did it on their own, using the strength of their hearts."

His words were breathy but solid, a strange chill passing through Kurei at the other boy's voice. He never thought he would hear that voice again, let alone as deep as it was now. Then again he never thought he would see Shiloh in the body of a boy his own age; he looked like a pale, translucent version of who he would have been today…if he were still alive. The ghost suddenly shimmered from Taso's slide to the edge of the woods across the field, a streak of light the only sign of his movement. His sister laughed, shaking her head and looking over at Kurei, "It's been weeks since he started manifesting outside of the library and still I'm not quite used to it, nor are my cats!" Her eyes were dancing, a bright smile gracing her lips. "You should have seen him this morning chasing them around the yard!"

Kurei smiled back at her, "You missed him didn't you?"

The mint-haired girl nodded, turning to watch the ghost walk along the tree-line, "When he's not with me it makes everything seem more…real."

They walked across the field and into the woods, sunlight shining down through the leaves and dappling the ground with light. Shiloh's form flitted among the trees like a flash of silver, his shape not quite discernable in the changing light and shadows. They followed after the ghost, walking in a comfortable silence, before Kurei asked, "So your aunt and uncle said Kairi could stay with you?"

Tasogare nodded. "I talked to them early this morning and they agreed, they're mailing her school books and have already arranged for her teachers to email her homework while she's recovering."

"It's amazing what you can do with technology these days," Kurei said, sliding his hands into his pocket and listening to the wind rustling the leaves, "Do you know how many sick days I would have taken when I was her age?"

"She's just three years younger than you, she's already a freshman." Taso replied wirily, "Besides, we're seniors now; it's not like we have that much to call in sick for anymore." She shrugged, adding, "I'm missing school to watch Kairi but almost all of my classes are electives anyway, my teachers told me to come in and make up class time when I can. I already have all of my credits taken care of for college admissions next year."

"Yeah, me too; I'm taking repeats of easy classes and a couple of electives. I'll probably skip until you're back in school, it's boring without you."

The girl laughed, reaching over and taking Kurei's hand, swinging their arms lightly. "I'm so glad you're with me, I missed you a lot during grade school." She looked over at him and shook her head when he opened his mouth to speak. "I told you, don't apologize. I was just letting you know, I missed you."

The boy nodded, squeezing her hand gently, looking up ahead then the forest cleared. "What's that?"

Tasogare stepped ahead of her friend, letting go of his hand, and went to her brother's side. The ghost was standing where Naminé's car had flipped down off of the road. Remnants of the wreckage still scarred the earth. "This is where Naminé went off the road; see the shards of glass from the windows?" She pointed to the strewn bits of glass, turning to look at Kurei.

"Oh, wow. It was really bad, wasn't it? I knew Kairi was hurt but she didn't even go off the road. Slamming into the steering wheel is what hurt her ribs, right?"

Tasogare nodded. "She was lucky she was wearing her seatbelt, she could have gone out the window."

Shiloh walked across the upturned soil carefully, his steps leaving no footprints in the soft dirt. His steps were hesitant, as if he were searching for something, then he crouched down and looked over at his sister. "This is Naminé's," he said, looking back towards the ground and reaching out a pale hand, sifting through the earth, "It feels like her…"

Tasogare walked over to him, eyes wide as she watched him slide his hand into the dirt and pull out a small silver object, lifting it to eye-level. "It's her cell phone." She said in clarification, but added questioningly, "Shiloh, you're actually touching things, you're leaving a mark. You've never been able to do something like that before, how…?"

The ghost's eyes flitted up to Taso's as he offered the small device to her. "I don't know, I just can; when I think about her it gives me strength."

Violet eyes searched red-gold, the girl reaching out and taking Naminé's cell phone, her fingertips brushing against her dead brother's. It was a cold, tingling sensation she'd only felt in her dreams. Tears slipped down her cheeks before she realized she was crying, Shiloh watching her sadly. "I'm so sorry Shiloh," She whispered, covering her face with her hands, Naminé's dirty phone pressed to her cheek. "I'm sorry…"

The ghost looked up from his grieving sister to Kurei, the younger boy watching his friend with a lost expression. He met Shiloh's gaze then walked forward, pulling Tasogare into his arms. "Hey, listen to me. Don't cry Taso, please; it wasn't your fault…"

"I've told her," Shiloh whispered, "so many, many times that it wasn't her fault. He shook his head, looking away. "She's never believed me, she's always blamed herself."

-xxxo0:O:0oxx-

Roxas' mother came to check up on the boys several times right around lunch, asking if they needed anything to go with their fish and chips (she'd ordered delivery from the Seafood Café downtown), any refills on drinks, any extra pillows (her concern directed more so towards Roxas, of course, than the bubbly brunette at his side) or anything from the video store down the street. Roxas had cocked his head at her and asked quizzically, "You okay mom? We're fine, you know I'd tell you if we needed something, you don't have to baby me just because I'm wounded and whatnot."

The eloquent woman had pursed her lips and replied, "I am not babying you; I am trying to be a concerned mother." Roxas had sighed, crossing his arms over his chest, and waited for her to continue. He knew something was up, she never acted like this unless something was up. Sora popped a long, crinkled french-fry into his mouth as he watched the interaction, wondering what was happening (he still wasn't quite used to the woman's quirky nature). After a long silence and a continuous look from her son she looked away, saying, "Oh alright. I'm going to the salon to get my nails done and then to eat lunch with the girls, and I can't help but feel a little guilty to be going out while you're bedridden."

"Mom, go out, it's fine. You've been hovering over me for almost two weeks. It's starting to freak me out." The blonde boy smiled at her disgruntled expression, adding teasingly, "I know you've been sneaking out to shop on the weekends, why don't you and the girls go out after lunch and have some fun? Go to the boutique, ransack the mall and buy out a designer line of heels or something." She rolled her eyes at him, propping a hand on her hip and raising a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. Roxas sighed, saying in exasperation, "Stop worrying about me, I'm fine. I'm sure Sora is capable of managing me while you're gone."

"Fine, I'll be back sometime tonight." She replied, turning on her tall heels and leaving the room, her lavish shawl fanning out behind her. "You know my number if you need anything!" She called from down the hall, the door opening with a diminutive squeaking of hinges and then latching shut behind her as she left the house.

Roxas returned to his fish and chips as if nothing had happened, Sora watching the boy bite into a piece of fish. "Is she always like that?" The brunette asked, sipping at his soda.

"Usually." The blonde said, an amused grin twisting the corners of his lips. "You should have seen her when I came home from school with a black eye and broken leg in middle school. She sat by my bed like a well-polished statue and played maid for a week before the lack of shopping began to make her go crazy." He lifted his hands, twitching his fingers in a zombie-like manner, "Must...burn…plastic…"

Sora laughed, choking on his french-fry, Roxas leaning forward and slapping him on the back until the younger boy gasped in air. He coughed and swallowed, looking over at his boyfriend and chiding, "I told you, you can't do that when I'm eating!"

"I like making you laugh!" Roxas said, mocking a pout.

"And I like breathing!" Sora said, sticking his tongue out at the blonde. "I could have died when you made me laugh a breakfast yesterday, my nose burned for hours from that orange juice!"

Roxas laughed softly, watching the younger boy thoughtfully. The other boy noticed, sapphire eyes looking over and locking with azure. "Rox?"

"So mother's gone…"

"…yeah, she is." Sora replied, trying to read the older boy's expression. "Did you want me to help you walk through the house again or something?" Roxas' mother would have a fit if she knew her son got out of bed now and then, but after a while the blonde went stir crazy and just _had_ to move, and Sora of course helped him. It was the least he could do, since he was sort of the reason Roxas was bedridden anyway.

The blonde shook his head, moving his plate to his bedside table and holding out a hand. The brunette got up from his chair, sat his plate in his seat, and then crawled onto the bed with an embarrassed smile. So that's what Roxas meant when he had said his mother was gone, he knew Sora had been on edge with her around, jumping when he heard her heels clicking back and forth across the house. It wasn't the ideal situation for them to have any "alone time", though they were alone together all the time. Roxas cupped Sora's cheek as the younger boy hovered over him, careful to avoid his bandages and not put any weight on his waist, their lips meeting gently as the blonde pulled his boyfriend close. Sora gasped softly, pressing into Roxas' touch, a blush heating his cheeks. Roxas pulled back slightly, whispering, "You'll have to kiss me, it hurts if I lean forward too much."

"Okay…" Sora whispered back, leaning in further and pressing his lips back to Roxas', the brunette following the older boy's movements as he lay back against his pillows. There was a sweet and salty taste on his tongue, a mix of tartar sauce and fish, but Sora didn't care. He was sure he tasted the same way, Roxas licking across his tongue and moaning softly. Sora had wanted to kiss the blonde like this for days now but had been too paranoid to sneak around Roxas' mother and actually do it. He'd just found a new home, he didn't want to mess anything up by doing something stupid (and especially not by his boyfriend's mother walking in on the two of them making out). As Roxas reached up and cupped the back of his head, kissing him deeper, Sora thought to himself that it had definitely been worth the wait.

-xxxo0:O:0oxx-

Cloud sighed in exasperation, heaving his book-laden backpack higher on his shoulders. He had a ten page paper to write and absolutely no topic peaked his interest whatsoever. He was behind on Trigonometry so badly that Reno had less homework than he did, which was utterly ridiculous. He hadn't been able to take notes in his last lecture because the group of jocks in front of him had been horsing around and he was fairly sure the professor was so pissed off about the continuous disruptions that he was going to give them a pop quiz tomorrow, which Cloud really didn't have the extra time to study for. All in all his day pretty much sucked, and his weekend wasn't looking any less sucky-er. Not to mention he kept passing Zack in the hallways, those deep violet eyes always watching him sadly when Cloud walked on without speaking to him, a soft smile ever present on his lips. He had given Zack the silent treatment as sort of a punishment/test thing, but now he was pretty sure he was just punishing himself. It had been two weeks, Zack had respected his boundaries and not pressed him about talking to him or tried to wriggle his way out of being guilty. He knew he shouldn't have let Sephiroth kiss him, the older boy had lamented the first day he and Cloud had talked about it, he said repeatedly that he regretted it more than anything. " _I never meant to hurt you, Cloud. I can't take it back, but please know that I'm truly sorry; I didn't mean to betray your trust_."

"Uuuugh this is so _stupid_!" Cloud moaned loudly, walking over to a bench and throwing his backpack down, slumping onto the seat and putting his face in his hands. "Not talking to him is driving me completely crazy…"

A soft chuckle made the blonde's head snap up, blue eyes looking up into shining violet. "It's driving me crazy too." Cloud's face turned beet red, too embarrassed to speak. So much for his silent treatment, that cat was definitely out of the bag now. When the blonde made no move to speak or run away, Zack continued with, "I heard from Reno you were behind on your Trig…" His words were careful, eyes searching, "I'm going to the library to do some homework if you want to come with me." Cloud returned his gaze, still not responding. Zack, not quite sure how to take the other boy's silence, added, "I'll try to help you catch up?"

Cloud thought for a moment then stood to his feet and pulled his backpack onto his shoulder. "Do you care if..." He hesitated, Zack watching him with warm eyes, waiting patiently for him to continue, "What I mean is, we can't talk in the library, and I've been wanting to talk to you..." His blue eyes flitted up and met the older boys, the blonde asking shyly, "Do you care if we go to your apartment instead?"

Zack could have had a heart attack and died. "Y-yeah, of course. Do you want to drive or…?"

The blonde shook his head, smiling. "I kind of wanted to ride with you, if that's okay."

The dark headed boy laughed, replying, "That is certainly more than okay. Come on, I parked this way."

They walked across campus together towards the parking lot, Cloud reaching over and taking Zack's hand, saying when the older boy looked down at him, "I'm still mad at you, don't think you're getting out of this easily."

The older boy smiled, squeezing Cloud's hand gently. "I won't."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1) Jepsin is pronounced (jehp-sin) and is a huge city where the record label company Kingdom Hearts resides!  
> Chakram will be making trips there often as they figure out everything going on with their new-found fame!


	19. Sight

Riku's heart was pounding, clutching the sheets beneath him as Axel kissed down his neck, skin warm and soft against his trembling body. "Axel…" he whispered, the older boy making a soft sound and continuing down, the blind boy squeezing his eyes shut and gasping when Axel's mouth met the corner of his hipbone, kissing lightly.

"Relax…" Axel whispered, moving back up Riku's lean frame and kissing him gently, cupping his face and stroking a thumb across his cheek. "I want to make you feel good."

Panting, the younger boy blushed crimson, senses hyper aware as Axel descended back down his body, muscles flexing under the boy's deft fingertips. Shuddering, reaching down and clutching his boyfriend's shoulder, Riku whispered, "I've never…"

"I know, Riku…" The other boy whispered back, taking Riku's hand and kissing his palm. "I want to be your first…"

-x-x-x-

Gasping aloud Riku sat up, clutching the back of the couch and panting, blinking away the tears in the corners of his eyes. Demyx looked over at him from the other end of the couch, asking, "You okay Riku?"

"W-where am I?" he asked, shaking and trying to get his bearings. Demyx was here, but where was here? He could hear Yuffie somewhere in the background, laughing with Reno, and the television playing softly nearby.

"You're at Axel's, remember?" the boy said, reaching over and touching his hand, "When they canceled school today we decided to pack up our stuff and head over here incase we got snowed in for the weekend."

Riku sighed, reaching up and rubbing his burning face. "Y-yeah, sorry. I was…dreaming."

The other boy laughed softly, saying, "You've only been asleep for about an hour, Axel shouldn't be here until later this afternoon if you want to sleep some more."

"No, I'm awake." The pale boy replied, curling his legs up and resting his arm on the arm of the couch, sighing and trying to calm his racing heart. "Who's here? Did they cancel the college classes too?"

"Hey! You're awake!" Zexion said as he walked into the room, the scent of coffee filling Riku's nose. From the sipping sounds coming from the older boy he must actually have a cup this time. "Naminé and your brother should be here soon, Zack just got here and said they were on their way." He sipped at his drink, a smile in his voice. "I'm so glad she's doing well. We're all excited to see her."

"I'm sure she's excited to see you guys too," Riku replied, "It's been so long since we've all been together."

Demyx nodded his head, saying in agreement, "Too long."

"Vincent's here!" Yuffie squealed from the other room, the girl's footsteps thudding through the house as she ran to the door. Opening the door to greet the boy, she whined, "Aww! It's still not snowing! Why'd they cancel school if it's not going to snow?"

The tall, long-haired boy stepped into the house, saying to the girl, "It's getting really dark out, the storm is rolling in. Enjoy not having snow while you can."

"Did you pack clothes and stuff?" she asked, following the boy into the next room, Reno squealing happily when he saw his friend.

"Sleepover!"

"Yay! Sleepover!" Yuffie echoed after him.

"Hide your bra's, gents." Demyx said, nudging Riku. "Reno will have them in the freezer."

"Is there something you need to tell us Dem?" the pale blonde teased, "Because a bra isn't a normal part of my wardrobe."

Snickering, Zexion said, "Oh, you have no idea. Just make sure you warn Naminé."

"Then again her bras might be safe," Demyx replied, "Since she's still recovering from a near-death experience and whatnot."

"Yeah, that's about the only thing that will get Reno to spare her!" Zexion laughed, setting his coffee cup on the table and sitting down by the dirty-blonde. "Remember the last time we did this? We were picking up Cheetos and feathers for a week."

"Yuffie and Reno have pillow fights of epic proportions." Demyx explained at Riku's confused look. "The poor unsuspecting bowl of Cheetos just happened to be close enough to the edge of the table to go flying across the room."

The doorbell rang before Riku could comment, Yuffie running back into the room, squealing, "Kurei! You're here! Where's Taso?"

"She's helping Kairi out of the car." The boy replied, hauling several bags into the corridor leading back towards the guest bedrooms. "I think they packed the entire house…"

Reno popped into the room a moment later, Vincent following after him. "Did Tasogare bring the cats?"

Kurei nodded, nodding his head back towards the driveway. "They should be in the backseat with the rest of the bags."

Gasping, Yuffie said, "She brought kitties? Wait! Let me get my shoes!"

Over the next ten minutes the house was in an uproar, everyone greeting one another with smiles and laughter, and then Reno assigning everyone their bedrooms for the weekend and moving all the bags out of the living room into the guest rooms. The cats were free to roam the house after Tasogare assured Reno they would find their litter box when they needed to, and wouldn't make too much of a mess unless they found some yarn or a roll of toilet paper. "They like chasing things," she explained, Nyao scampering after Yuffie as the petite girl giggled and ran from the calico kitten. Kairi sat at her cousin's side silently, looking around the room as if lost now that the commotion of saying hello to everyone had passed.

Zexion leaned over and mentioned it to Riku, the blind boy getting up from the couch and feeling his way across the room, placing a hand on Taso's shoulder. "Can I talk to Kairi for a minute?"

The magenta-haired girl looked up, surprised at the boy's words. Tasogare smiled and stood up, giving Riku her seat and taking his place on the couch, joking around with Kurei and Demyx while Zexion laughed softly. Kairi shifted uneasily beside Riku, not knowing what to say. "I'm glad you're okay." The boy said after a long pause, indigo eyes glancing over at him curiously.

"You're her brother right?" Kairi asked hesitantly, "Naminé's brother, Riku?"

The blind boy nodded, "It's nice to meet you, Kairi. I hope that you and Naminé can be good friends."

The girl looked away, saying softly, "I don't think she would want to be my friend. I'm nervous about meeting her."

Riku reached over and touched her arm, saying with a smile, "I'm sure she would like to meet you. She's been worrying about you since she heard what happened."

"That's what Taso said…" Kairi murmured, clenching her skirt in her hands. "I can't believe after what I did to her she would be worried about me…"

Riku sighed and shook his head. "She's just like that." When the girl didn't reply, he added, "She really is better now, she's out of the hospital and healing quicker that the doctors had predicted." He paused, then said, "She knows what happened was a complete accident; she's never once blamed you for anything."

"I just don't get it." Kairi said, looking over at the boy, catching his ghost-blue eyes. "How can she not blame me when I was the one that ran her off the road and put her in a coma?"

"You should talk to her about it, Kairi." Riku said gently, squeezing her arm. "She has some pretty amazing stories about what happened to her while she was on the other side."

"Hey, is that Cloud's car?" Yuffie asked from the window, Nyao attacking her heels fervently.

"Silver Mustang?" Riku asked, looking towards the sound of the girl's voice.

"Yeah! And there's Naminé!" The girl squealed, Zexion walking over to her and looking out the window beside her.

"Wow, she looks really good." The slate-eyed boy said with a smile, looking back at his friends. "Zack! Get your ass out of the kitchen and come help your boyfriend pack in his bags!"

The older boy emerged from the kitchen a few moments later, wiping his hands on a towel and rolling his eyes. "Bake me some cookies, fix us some coffee, make Yuffie some popcorn, carry in Cloud's bags…"

"Don't act like you aren't enjoying being ordered around!" Demyx jeered from the couch, Zack looking at him with a raised eyebrow before throwing the towel in his face.

"I'm the dom in the relationship, little boy. I give orders, no take them."

"Yet you're baking cookies…" Riku said with a grin, hearing Zack sigh in exasperation before opening the door and stepping outside to greet Cloud and Naminé.

"They're a cute couple." Kairi said softly, "Zack and your older brother, I mean."

Tasogare and Kurei exchanged a glance, golden eyes shining as he said, "I'll take over popcorn duty. Are we watching a movie now? Or are we waiting for _Chakram_ to get here?"

"Let's watch something we've seen before, so we're not too into it in case they get back before we're finished." Tasogare replied, looking over at Demyx. "What did you guys bring?"

"Yuffie!" the dirty blonde called, the dark-headed girl prancing over and plopping down beside him. "Movie list please? Something casual that we've seen before to entertain us before the band gets here."

"Oh, the list is not needed." The girl replied with a grin, holding up her pointer finger. "There is only one movie, I repeat, one movie that we should watch at a time like this."

Reno chose that exact moment to appear, hands on his hips, dressed head to toe in leather and fishnet. His dark, heavy eyeliner accented his bright red lipstick, turning his grin into a wicked sultry smile as he announced, "This celebration is in dire need of a dose of _Rocky Horror_!" He raised an eyebrow, shaking his ass. "Doctor's orders!"

Yuffie jumped up and pranced around him, cheering, " _Time Warp_! Sing it, Reno!"

More than happy to oblige, the red-head began with, "It's just a jump to the left…"

Yuffie didn't miss a beat. "And then a step to the right!"

"You put your hands on your hips…"

"And bring your knees in tight!"

Riku, blinking, asked, "Are they dancing right now?"

Laughing hysterically, Demyx couldn't respond with more than a few sputtered words. "Oh yeah," Zexion said for his friend, watching the two with a priceless look on his face. "Be glad you can't see this Riku. I feel the need to gouge my eyes out."

That had Kairi rolling, the girl clutching her sides and gasping in pain. "S-stop that! I can't laugh without it hurting!"

Zack opened the door, swinging several bags inside and waiting for Cloud and Naminé to walk past him, the petite blonde shivering and cradling her pink cast. The room instantly switched from laughter to enthusiastic greetings, everyone hugging Naminé one at a time and admiring the girl's bruises and cast, the girl laughing and breaking free of the crowd to go to Riku and Kairi. "Hey Ri-kun! I missed you!"

Laughing, the boy replied, "Naminé, I saw you yesterday!"

"I still missed you! I always miss you." She said, smiling down at him before turning her eyes on Kairi. The girls stared at one another for a moment before Naminé reached out and hugged Kairi, the later girl letting out a surprised sound but gingerly hugging her back. "I'm so glad you're here!" Naminé said, "I really wanted to meet you!"

Sensing he should give the girls room to talk, Riku stood up and offered his sister his seat, feeling through the people around him until he reached Cloud. The older boy was talking with Zack and Vincent, but stopped and turned to look at his brother when he felt his hand. "Hey little bro, heard from Axel?"

Riku shook his head. "He said he probably wouldn't be able to call, they had paperwork to sign and a meeting with their new manager before they could head home."

"You have the dumbest smile on your face." Cloud said, wrapping an arm around Riku's neck and pulling him in close. "Don't make me beat that red-head's ass, make sure he's good to you."

" _Cloud_!" Riku groaned, blushing and pushing the older boy away. "Stop being such a big brother."

"Eh, it's my job. Gotta act like I'm a badass every now and then." Cloud replied, Zack laughing at his side, the blonde boy smacking him lightly and smiling up at him.

Yuffie took his hand a moment later, pulling him out of the crowd and back towards the giant T.V. across the room, sitting him down on the couch beside Demyx and Zexion. "Now you boys stay put! We're starting the movie once I get everyone in here!"

"Yes, ma'am." Demyx drawled, the girl glaring at him before running back down the foyer.

"I'm serious, boys!"

Zexion shook his head, Riku feeling the movement vibrate through the couch. "Unbelievable. Next thing you know Reno will be dragging us upstairs demanding we dress for the occasion."

"You can call me Frankenfurter." Reno said, walking across the carpet in towering black heels, Xemnas wrapped around his shoulders like a feather boa. "So come up to the lab, and see what's on the slab."

"Have you been drinking?" Zexion asked, a smile twisting his lips as he watched the red-head parade around with the boa constrictor slithering down his arm.

"Not yet." The older boy replied with a grin. "But I did go grab us some bubbly for our special occasion slash reunion weekend slash slumber-party extravaganza."

"He means he unlocked his dad's liquor cabinet." Demyx said, cupping his hand around his mouth but blatantly speaking loud enough for Reno to hear. "There's nothing bubbly in there either, just a bunch of gin and vodka."

Placing a hand on his hip, Reno scoffed, "I did so! Yuffie won't drink anything but wine coolers and champagne, so I had to go get some."

"Thank god for Yuffie." Zexion sighed, crossing himself slowly.

Folding his hands together as if in prayer and lifting his eyes to the ceiling, Demyx whispered solemnly, "Amen."

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

Riku had never seen _The Rocky Horror Picture Show_ growing up, but he wished more than anything that he had. Listening to the movie play out while Reno, Yuffie, Demyx, Tasogare, Naminé, Kairi, and Kurei sang along (rather enthusiastically, in fact) was more than hysterical, laughter from everyone in the room drowning out the movie more than once as singing and dancing erupted spontaneously. Half-way through _Touch-a Touch-a Touch Me_ the doorbell rang, Zack and Cloud getting up to answer the door, Riku taking his brother's hand and following along after him. Heart pounding, Riku waited for Axel's voice to greet his ears as Zack opened the door, but instead he heard Sora's.

"Hey guys! Sorry we're late." The younger boy said, pulling two duffel bags inside. "Roxas' mom took five hours to get ready for her dinner party."

"Sora!" Riku exclaimed, reaching out for the other boy. He hadn't hung out with the brunette since the day Naminé woke up, hugging the boy tight and asking, "Roxas? How's Roxas?"

"I'm okay," the other boy called from the driveway, Sora slipping out of Riku's embrace and going to his side, helping him into the house, "I'm just a little drugged."

Giggling, Sora said, "He was hurting pretty bad earlier, I made him take his pills before he got in the car. He hasn't been out of the house since they let him come home from the hospital."

"Well that makes two of us." Naminé said with a smile, walking across the room towards the boys.

"Naminé!" Sora choked, his voice breaking as he hugged her, Roxas wobbling on his feet but smiling as the two embraced. "Oh my god, I missed you so much. I'm so happy you're awake! We have so much to catch up on…"

"Dizzy!" Roxas stated loudly, Sora turning to grab his arm and steady him, the brunette wrapping an arm around the taller boy's waist and walking with him towards the living room.

Giggling softly, Naminé said, "I'll tell you everything you've missed, as long as you promise to tell me!"

"Deal!" the brunette replied, but then paused and turned back, calling, "Come on Riku, I want you to sit by me!"

Smiling, the blind boy made his way across the floor, fingertips finding Sora's hand first, and then Naminé's. "Were all back together again." Riku whispered, squeezing Sora's fingers with his right hand and his sister's with his left. "I'm so happy you two are back, so happy that we found one another again."

Naminé smiled at her brother then looked past him to meet Sora's eyes, the brunette returning her gentle smile. They were all back together again, weren't they? They were whole again. Shifting her eyes to the couch she caught Tasogare watching her, violet eyes grinning at her before looking to the corner of the room. The albino girl followed her gaze, eyes widening when she saw something flicker in the darkness, a flash of red and gold. _Shiloh…?_ She breathed, her words never leaving her throat. When she looked back at Taso the girl was talking to Kurei, the golden-eyed boy looking over at Kairi and smiling as well, giving her one definite nod. It was almost as if in confirmation of her unspoken words. She tilted her head, daring to look at the corner of the room again, but there was nothing there. Somehow, thought she didn't see that flash of red-gold, she knew he was there somewhere in the twilight. She couldn't make herself stop smiling for the next half-hour, no matter how many times Sora asked her what her grin was about. Shiloh really had been there with her in the darkness of her heart. Shiloh was more than a dream.

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

The movie went on for a while longer, and then sadly came to an end, the group of enthusiasts gathered around the television letting out a series of applause, laughing excitedly. Yuffie darted across the room and grabbed another movie out of the pile that she and Reno had brought downstairs, swapping out the DVDs and settings back on top of the couch. "Next up! RENT!"

"I've got the perfect outfit for this!" Reno exclaimed, getting up from his couch and running through the house, the sound of heels thudding up the stairs.

Yuffie gasped and followed after him, shouting, "I want a cute outfit too!" as she disappeared upstairs as well.

Riku listened to them go, Sora laughing softly beside him, Naminé leaning forward and adjusting the pillows she was resting against before settling back down to watch the next musical. "Those two are so silly…" the pale girl said, Sora looking over and her and grinning.

"I seem to remember someone else who loved playing dress-up when she was a kid!" the brunette jested, Naminé laughing softly and nodding.

"That's true. And I seem to recall that you were right there alongside me, stealing your mother's heels!"

Roxas picked up on this comment, looking over at his boyfriend, Sora blushing and laughing in embarrassment. "Yeah, well you know…"

"My boyfriend, the cross dresser…" Roxas said absently, his eyes un-focusing as if the boy were drifting off into a world of thought.

"Don't imagine it!" Sora protested, reaching over and grasping the older boy's sleeve, tugging lightly. "That was just little kid stuff!"

Riku smirked, adding offhandedly, "I think Reno's the only one who enjoys cross dressing at the age we are now."

"The sad thing is he's older than us," Zexion commented, looking over with a serious expression, "Can you imagine daddy Reno one day? Or grandpa Reno?"

The dirty-blonde at his side snorted at that, covering his face with his hand and clutching at his chest. "Must…not…think…about…tranny…grandpa…Reno…" he said between fits of laughter, trying to remember to breathe.

Reno and Yuffie bustled down the stairs a moment later, dressed in stylish clothes resembling the trendy city-ware of the characters displayed across the screen, picking up in the middle of the song just as if they had been there the whole time.

"We're not gonna pay…" Reno sang, pressing his shoulder against Yuffie's, holding his fist in front of him like a microphone.

"Last year's rent!" Yuffie sang merrily, holding her fist up like a microphone too.

"This year's rent!"

"Next year's rent!"

They turned to one another, singing loudly back and forth, "Rent rent rent…rent rent!"

Riku smiled, listening to his friends end their song with a huge crescendo, the movie playing right along with them, Tasogare and Kairi singing along too. Demyx and Zexion were talking about something, laughing and shoving one another playfully, Sora and Naminé whispering to one another at his side. He was surrounded by friends, but his heart ached to hear the one voice he didn't. He missed Axel. He wished the boy would walk up and wrap his arms around him, and never let him go…

A knock sounded at the door, Riku turning his head to the side to listen, Zack exiting the kitchen from where he had been watching over a fresh batch of cookies baking in the oven to open the front door. "Hey! Look what the cat dragged in!" the older boy's voice echoed from the doorway, "And you brought the snow home with you!"

Ice cold wind rushed into the house, a flurry of snowflakes coating the carpet instantly, everyone turning to look at the door. Riku sat there clutching Sora's arm, an unmistakable smile across his face. "Is he here?" he asked, Sora shifting under Riku's fingertips as he got to his feet.

"Yeah, they're back!" he took Riku's hand, pulling him up from the couch. "I'll take you to him, come on!"

Riku's heart raced with excitement, chest clenching in longing. It had only been a couple of weeks, but he felt like they'd been apart for a small eternity, ears aching to hear that warm, loving voice he knew so well. "Hey Riku," a voice said, cinnamon engulfing Riku's senses, Sora releasing his hand as arms wrapped around his shoulders and pulled him close.

"Axel…" he said, his voice cracking a bit, the younger boy clinging to his boyfriend's hoodie. The red head laughed softly, holding the smaller boy tighter, gloved hands moving to tilt Riku's face up so he could press their lips together in a much-needed kiss.

"No kissing in front of the big brother." Cloud said in a monotone voice, the older blonde peeking around the corner from the kitchen. "And you, come get these out of the oven before they start to burn."

"Yes sir!" Zack replied, Cloud grinning at him and disappearing back into the kitchen. Axel hesitated, then dipped back down and kissed Riku one more time before pulling away and sliding off his gloves then kicking off his boots. The blind boy clung to his hoodie the minute he was done, intent on never letting him out of his grasp again.

Marluxia and Larxene stepped past them and into the warmth of the house, shutting the door behind them. "Damn psychotic weather," the girl huffed, tossing off her gloves and stripping out of her snow-laden jacket before turning to look over at her friend. "You'd better dry off! You know how easily you catch a cold."

Marluxia glared over at her, his long hair and thin shirt covered in show, the boy visibly shivering. "It's your fault if I do because _you_ didn't bring a jacket, thief."

The girl rolled her eyes at him, shoving him off towards the living room. "Go ask Reno for a towel you stubborn man!"

Riku listened to them walk across the room to greet their other friends, returning his attention to Axel when the taller boy shifted and drew him close again, pressing their foreheads together. "I missed you Riku." He said softly, the younger boy blushing. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too Axel," the pale blonde replied, a soft smile on his lips.

The red-head sighed gently, the sound barely audible to Riku's ears. "I'm really tired; do you want to go upstairs with me? It's been a long ride home."

"Sure," Riku said, Axel taking his hand and leading him towards the stairs. They ascended silently, their footsteps unheard by those below them, another song from RENT playing loudly throughout the living room. Riku listened for a moment, catching his sister singing along, then allowed Axel to pull him into his bedroom and shut the door behind them, blocking out the noise from the party below. He wasn't expecting the sudden kiss pressed to his lips, Axel pushing him back against the door and assaulting him with a searing kiss, Riku gasping softly when the older boy pulled away.

"God, I've wanted to do that for over a week." The other boy said, the roughness in his tone making the younger boy blush furiously. There was something in his voice that Riku hadn't heard before, something that made him tremble against the older boy's warm, strong chest. Axel pulled him away from the door gently, leading him over to the bed and pulling him close, leaning back so that Riku fell on top of him, the boys kissing all the while. They stayed like that for a long moment, kissing over and over, Axel's hands wrapped around Riku's waist as the other boy cupped his face in his hands and brought their lips together again and again. The blonde boy pulled away a moment later, breathing hard, his face red and his ghost-blue eyes searching across Axel's face questioningly. The red-head chuckled, pressing up into the younger boy's embrace, kissing him again, rubbing his hands up across Riku's back, drifting up to his shoulders and moving to cradle his neck. "I missed you…" Axel said again, the younger boy above him giggling softly and giving him another peck.

"I missed you too, Ax..." he said, his voice drifting off, searching the darkness, wishing he could see the other boy looking up at him. He imagined what he must look like, his bright green eyes and his flaming red hair, and closed his eyes while leaning in for another kiss. The older boy complied, kissing him a bit harder than before, pushing himself up until he was leaning over Riku, pressing the younger boy against his bed gently before moving over him and dipping down to reconnect their lips.

The blind boy made a soft sound, shuddering when he felt Axel's tongue, kissing back a bit deeper and squirming underneath the older boy. Images from his dream flashed through his head, the boy's heartbeat pounding in his skull, his heart drumming wildly in his chest. Did he really want to do that? Do…everything…with Axel? He shuddered again, pleasant vibrations moving down his spine, pressing against Axel a bit more fervently. He was too embarrassed to think about it, but he knew in the back of his mind if he didn't want it he wouldn't have had a dream like that…

Axel pulled away a moment later, breathing heavily, looking down at Riku and taking in the sight of the boy below him. Riku was flustered, more so than he had ever seen him before. His eyes were half-open, his cheeks a deep rosy color, his lips parted slightly and begging him to taste them again, the younger boy breathing just as hard as he was. He shifted, moving his knee between the other boy's leg, Riku shifting beneath him and reaching to pull him close again, Axel happily leaning down and kissing him. This time when they pressed together his leg nudged against Riku, the younger boy crying out, Axel immediately pulling back. "Are you alright?" he asked, concern in his voice, and then noticed Riku's face was impossibly redder than before.

"Y-yes, I'm alright…" the younger boy replied, swallowing nervously. He hadn't meant to cry out like that, but the sudden pressure between his legs had felt…really good. Almost too good. He held himself back, trying to wrap his head around the emotions racing through his body, uncertainty and want battling internally as the boy tried to decide what he should do. Axel watched the boy beneath him, noticing the pleasure in his dead eyes and the ever-changing emotions on his face. He felt something inside of him twisting, his heart beating a bit faster than before. Was Riku thinking the same things he was thinking? He wasn't sure if he had really felt what he had before, but he wanted desperately to find out...

"Riku," Axel said softly, "Do you want me to touch you?"

Fire ignited across the younger boy's face, his eyes going wide, trembling under his boyfriend with a wild look across his face. "I-I…I…"

"I won't touch you, unless you want me to," Axel said quickly, watching his boyfriend with gentle eyes, "I just want to know if that is something that you _want_ me to do."

The younger boy hesitated, his hands shaking where he clung to the other boy, swallowing slowly and trying to steady his nerves. Axel was just asking; he wasn't going to do anything. And Riku knew he needed to tell the other boy, or sooner or later when they brushed against one another Axel would find out anyway. Letting out a shaky breath, Riku nodded his head slowly, saying in little more than a whisper, "I do…"

The older boy's heart leapt, heat throbbing deep inside of him. _He wants me back, oh god Riku! I've wanted to hear that for so long…_ He leaned down, careful not to press up against Riku, brushing across his lips in a tender kiss. "I want to too." He said, nuzzling the younger boy's cheek. "I won't though, I promise. Not unless you ask me to."

Riku nodded again, looking up at his boyfriend blindly, butterflies fluttering in his chest. "I do want you to, but I…I've never done anything like that before." He looked away, arching his brow in mild concern. "I don't know…what it would be like…"

Axel smiled, kissing the younger boy's exposed neck, moving his lips up to tease at his ear. Riku gasped lightly, relaxing into the other boy's touch, Axel leaning against him ever so slightly, pressing against the dip between his legs, Riku gasping then letting out a soft moan. "If you think me just pressing against you feels good…" Axel said softly, "Then you have no idea how good it would feel if I actually touched you."

Riku squirmed, his skin hot, heart pounding in his ears. He unconsciously moved against Axel, rubbing against him slightly, heat soaring through him from where their jeans brushed together. "I'm scared…" he admitted softly, Axel running his hands through his long, pale hair soothingly. "I feel like I won't know what to do…"

"I would teach you what to do," the older boy replied, soft laughter in his tone. "Riku, I know you're a virgin; that doesn't bother me." He stroked his thumb across the other boy's cheek. "I want to be with you."

Riku closed his eyes, Axel watching the boy quietly and tracing his fingertips across the boy's scar. The blind boy smiled, his lips twisting, and he replied, "I…I want to be with you too Ax. Will you…teach me how to…"

"I will teach you anything you want to know," the older boy replied, leaning in and pressing their lips back together, sucking on the Riku's lips for a moment before letting him take control. The younger boy pushed up into him, rubbing himself against Axel's leg again, the older boy reaching down to unbutton his jeans and allow some of the pressure to shift from his waist. _If he keeps this up, I don't know if I'm going to be able to control myself._ The older boy thought fleetingly, but then pushed that thought down. He knew he could control himself if he wanted to, but he was quickly losing his restraint, pushing Riku down into the sheets a bit harder than before, moving his thigh against the younger boy's arousal. He drank up every moan that escaped Riku's lips, kissing and sucking and tasting. He wanted more, so much more, but Riku was barely keeping up with him, gasping for air, chest heaving, his skin so hot it almost felt as if the boy were overheating. "Are you getting too hot?" Axel asked, pulling back and kneeling over the boy, giving him room to breathe.

The younger boy nodded, continuing to pant. "I feel a bit dizzy," he replied, Axel moving to strip off his hoodie and shirt, then reaching down to pull Riku's shirt off. The younger boy lifted himself up and raised his arms, allowing the older boy to undress him, sighing in relief as his skin was exposed to the air.

Axel got up off of the bed, sliding out of his jeans and silently crossing the room to his bedroom door, locking it with a flick of his wrist. He didn't know how far things were about to go, but he sure as hell didn't need anyone busting in and interrupting them. He walked back over to the bed, his bright red boxers hugging his hips, green eyes shining as they moved over Riku's form. The boy was sprawled across the bed, arms at his sides, chest rising and falling slowly, returning to a normal rhythm as he cooled down. "You should have told me," Axel chided lightly, climbing back onto the bed and laying down beside the other boy, "I would have stopped and let you undress sooner." Riku laughed softly, reaching down to unbutton his jeans, shifting his hips and if trying to alleviate the pressure there. Axel smiled secretively, then reached up and stilled one of Riku's hands, saying, "You know you can take those off right? I won't touch you without your permission. You don't have to hide your body from me."

The younger boy blushed, blinking once then letting out a sigh to calm his nerves. "Alright," he replied, hesitance in his tone, Axel moving to pull the jeans down his hips and revealing the dark blue boxers underneath. He pulled the boy's jeans down his long, lean legs, tossing them to the floor at the side of the bed, and then looked down across the boy's form. Riku was just as turned on as he was, that was for sure, Axel feeling his pulse pick up as his eyes wandered across bare skin, his hand reaching up to glide against the small muscles here and there, Riku gasping softly and flexing beneath his fingertips. The younger boy reached up and felt across Axel's chest in turn, smoothing his hands across this broad chest and down his abdomen, reaching the edge of his boxers and realizing the older boy had stripped too. Riku swallowed down his fears after a long moment of silence, and asked softly, "If I ask you to touch me, then what will you do?"

Axel chuckled, gliding his hand down Riku's side to rest against his hip, his fingertips dancing against the curve of his pelvic bone. "What you should really be asking yourself is what I wouldn't do…" Riku blushed crimson again, nervousness making him tremble slightly beneath the other boy. Axel stroked across his chest again, adding soothingly, "If there was anything you didn't like, I would stop. You know that, right?"

Riku nodded, trying to relax. He wanted to experiment with Axel, he did. He wanted to, now more than ever; his body aching with want for the boy hovering above him. He didn't know what to expect, and the unknown frightened him. Sure, he had heard stories about things that happened between two boys, but he'd never seen anything, never done anything…the whole concept was completely uncharted territory for him. He knew that Axel knew what to do, and he trusted the other boy, but something inside of him was still frightened of the unknown. "Be gentle with me?" Riku finally asked, worry in his tone.

Axel gazed down at him, a soft look in his eyes, and whispered to the other boy, "Of course I will be. I would never do anything to hurt you, Riku." He leaned in and kissed him, a sweet, tender feeling that sent comfort washing over the younger boy. When Axel pulled back, he whispered against the pale blonde's cheek, "Let me show you what it's like to be touched…"

Riku closed his eyes, thinking about his dream, willing himself to relax and just trust the other boy. "I want you to, Axel…" he said in a whimper, squirming against the other boy's leg. "I want you to touch me, please, show me…"

The red head nodded, lowering himself a bit more so that Riku could fully rub against him, capturing his lips full-force. He'd waited so long for this, to just be able to touch him… He would make Riku's first experience with another boy something he would never forget.

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

Cloud leaned back against the kitchen counter, watching Zack with a fond expression. The older boy was doing everything in his power to make up to the blonde, flirting with him shyly, making him home-made cookies, following his every command. Cloud was quite enjoying, and somehow it made him feel a bit less angry at the older boy, knowing that he was genuinely sorry. After he had allowed Zack a chance to explain what happened he realized he shouldn't have been that upset at all, given the fact that a few moments later Reno punched Sephiroth in the face for him. He was actually rather upset that he had missed Reno in action, the blonde pouting slightly at the thought. Zack's fingers lifted his chin a moment later, Cloud looking up in to shining violet irises. "What are you pouting about now?" he asked, laughter in his voice. "Did you want me to make another kind besides chocolate chip?"

Cloud smiled up at the other boy, looking away coyly. "Well, now that you mention it, I have had a craving for sugar cookies lately…"

Zack sighed, turning away from the boy and heading for the pantry with a sigh, "Alright…" Cloud reached out and grabbed his arm, pulling the older boy back to him with a laugh.

"I'm just teasing!" the blonde said, peering up at the boy. "Although, I think there is something sweet that I've been missing lately that you have failed to ask me if I want."

Zack, confused, asked, "Is it something at the candy shop at the mall? Because I need to go now if you actually want something from there, the snow is starting to come down pretty hard…"

Cloud shook his head, reaching out and taking hold of Zack's shirt, looking up at the other boy. "No, it's something else. Something that I haven't had in quite some time now."

Zack searched the other boy's eyes for a long moment before a light bulb clicked in his mind, a wide grin crossing his face. "Oh, is that so?" he asked, wrapping his arms around the blonde's shoulders and pulling him close. "And you want me to satisfy this craving of yours, do you?"

"Yes, please…" the younger whispered, tilting his head up. Zack leaned in and kissed him gently, Cloud looking up at him when he pulled back, his eyes asking for more. The older boy laughed softly and complied, reaching up and cupping Cloud's cheek in his palm and pressing their lips together, then again, and again. The smell of burning cookies was the only think that managed to break them apart.

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

Reno and Yuffie were dancing again, Larxene and Marluxia accompanying them via air-band in the background, Tasogare clapping along to the beat; Kurei laughing so hard that he almost fell off the couch. Kairi was trying to help him up from her place on the couch, the boy shaking his head and motioning for her to stay curled up under her blanket. Naminé laughed at them softly then turned to Sora, who was trying to give Roxas some more medicine.

"This won't put you to sleep like the other pills, I promise!" he protested, trying to give his boyfriend the two pills again.

"I don't believe you!" the blonde boy said, swatting him away playfully. "I felt like a zombie earlier! It's all your fault!"

The brunette pouted, "I know it's all my fault…"

Roxas stammered then sighed and took the pills from the younger boy, swallowing them down then taking a drink from the glass Sora offered him. "That's not what I meant, baby…" he said softly, the brunette leaning in with a mischievous grin and kissing him.

"I know!" he replied with a laugh, Roxas realizing he had been tricked and letting out a low whine.

"But _Sora_! How am I supposed to hang out and have fun if I'm loopy the entire time!"

The brunette cuddled up against his side, saying nonchalantly, "You'll thank me later when you're not writhing in pain."

The blonde murmured something under his breath about a sneaky little brat, and then kissed his boyfriend's forehead, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and holding him close.

Demyx watched the exchange, something inside of him making him think of what it would be like for Zexion to curl up against him like that, the dirty-blonde instantly turning red. The silver-haired boy at his side didn't notice however, he was too busy arguing with Yuffie about what movie they should watch next.

"Across The Universe!" the girl said, stomping her foot.

"No! We just wanted something peppy! We need something dark again! Sweeny Todd!"

Reno was watching them, a thoughtful finger pressed against his chin. "If we do Sweeny Todd, I have the most excelled vintage collection to choose a dress-up outfit from…"

The girl froze in place, mouth open, turning to look over at her tall red-headed friend, "Did you say you had vintage? Dresses?"

"Just like Misses Lovett wears!" Reno said happily, clapping his hands together.

"Put in Sweeny Todd!" she said, running off towards the stairs, calling over her shoulder, "But we're watching Across The Universe next!"

Zexion crossed his arms over his chest, beaming with victory, Reno chasing after Yuffie and up the stairs to change. "Wait!" he called, "Let me pick it out for you!"

Vincent sipped at his drink from the corner, shaking his head a bit.

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

Riku panted beneath Axel, his head spinning, face bright red as he felt Axel pressed against him. Feeling how turned on Axel was slowly seemed to make him forget how nervous and inexperienced he was. If his boyfriend was enjoying himself then obviously he was doing something right. The more he let himself relax the more he felt himself giving in to the older boy's prowess, panting when Axel pulled away from his lips and kissed down his neck and chest, desire replacing his fear. Riku's soft moans and panting gasps pushed Axel forward, nuzzling the younger boy's navel and then kissing the soft skin above the rim of his boxers. He glanced up, asking softly, "Are you sure?"

Riku nodded before he could think about it long enough to change his mind, reaching down until he could grasp the older boy's hair. Axel moved back up the younger boy's body, kissing his palm, then wrist, then up his arm. The pale blonde turned towards him, searching the darkness with half-lidded eyes. "Axel?" he asked breathlessly, reaching for the other boy.

Axel settled down beside him, deciding to take things one step at a time. If Riku had never done anything with anyone before, he couldn't just go all out from the very beginning. There were memories that needed to be made, sensations that needed to be felt… "I'm going to touch you now," he said softly, kissing Riku's neck, the younger boy squeezing his arm gently, "tell me if it feels good, okay?"

Riku nodded again, relaxing under the other boy's touch, Axel's warm hand smoothing itself down his taut stomach, fingertips teasing the edge of the younger boy's boxers. He hesitated only for a moment to see if Riku would stop him at the last minute, then when seeing the boy had no intention of doing so he slipped his hand underneath his waistband and wrapped his fingers around the younger boy's arousal.

The blind boy gasped and shuddered, biting his lip and grasping Axel's arm a little tighter, closing his eyes and squirming ever-so-slightly. The older boy waited a moment, then moved his hand, stroking that hard heat hidden behind deep blue fabric, pleasantly surprised at the younger boy's endowments. _He's almost as big as I am_ … he thought offhandedly, shuddering at the breathless moans that were softly escaping Riku's lips. He smiled gently, nuzzling his boyfriend's neck, Riku whimpering as Axel continued to move against his flesh. "You want more?" he asked, feeling the younger boy trembling.

Riku made a sound between a gasp and a moan, pulling Axel close, the red-head kissing him deeply. He licked across his lips, moving his hand a bit faster, Riku panting against his lips and pressing up into him. "Axel…" he moaned, moving his hips against the older boy's hand unconsciously, pleasure soaring through his entire body.

"Relax…" the older boy purred, pushing himself up a bit and taking a moment to pull Riku's boxers down all the way, pulling them from around his ankles and tossing them to the floor. He instantly returned to the younger boy, kissing his shoulder and pressing against his side, spreading Riku's legs gently and rubbing the inside of his thigh. His heart was beating fast, but he was sure the younger boy's was beating even faster. He remembered his first time, you always remember your first time. And he was Riku's first. He was Riku's everything.

The pale blonde squirmed against the sheets as Axel wrapped his fingers around him again, the younger boy crying out softly and squeezing his eyes shut, feeling warm lips pressed against his own. A white fire danced inside of him, burning somewhere deep within, his mind going fuzzy, everything boiling down to the sensation of Axel's had stroking him…again and again…and again…

Axel could tell Riku wasn't going to last long, he hadn't expected him to. Excitement beating in his chest, he willed the younger on. "Yes, Riku. Just like that…"

"A-Axel…" he whimpered, pushing up into the other boy's hand, moaning in abandon. "Axel… I… I-I…"

"Does it feel good?" the red-head whispered, nibbling on his ear, then moving to suck on his neck.

That sensation brought Riku to the brink, the younger boy feeling as if he were about to ignite, crying out and digging his nails into Axel's shoulder as he came, spilling over the older boy's hand. "Oh god… _aah_!" White light exploded behind his eyes, his body convulsing sporadically for a few seconds before he crashed back down to earth.

The older boy stilled his hand, feeling the other boy twitching in his grasp, a satisfied smirk twisting his lips. He waited a few moments then drew his hand back, looking down at the boy panting beneath him, leaning in and kissing him gently. "I love you, Riku…" he whispered softly, his heart twisting as he did so. He didn't know if he should be revealing his feelings this soon, but somehow he felt it was right.

Riku looked up at him blindly, searching for the other boy's eyes. "I love you too, Axel." He replied, a shy smile on his face, his cheeks flushed a rosy red. He searched for Axel for a long moment, then something happened. His face twisted, his eyes sliding shut, the younger boy turning his face away and curling up against Axel's chest, a sob shaking his shoulders.

The red-headed boy, alarmed, wrapped his arms around the other boy, "What is it? What's wrong?"

"N-nothing," the younger boy said between sobs, Axel feeling wet tears falling against his chest, "I'm just so happy. I'm so happy that you love me too…"

Axel rubbed his back soothingly, sensing that wasn't all there was to it. "What else, Riku? Talk to me. What's wrong?"

The pale boy leaned back slightly, Axel looking down at him with concern, reaching up and wiping the tears from his cheeks. "It's nothing, just me being silly." He sniffed, glancing up slightly, then letting his eyes fall. "I just…I wish I could see you."

The older boy watched him, watched his tears silently fall, noticing the strain on the other boy's face and remembering how Riku had once told him how much it hurt to cry. "Oh, Riku, don't cry…" He pulled the younger boy back against his chest, cradling him, whispering to him soft song-lyrics until he settled down, and fell asleep.

-x-x-x-

Axel watched Riku sleep for a while, moving the sheets to cover his naked body, slipping out from under his arm and replacing his missing shoulder with a pillow then getting up from the bed. He looked down at the boy who had captured his heart with affection shimmering in his eyes, then he knelt down and retrieved his phone from the back pocket of his blue jeans, flipping it open and scrolling through his contacts. He could hear Reno and Yuffie running back and forth now and then, undoubtedly playing some sort of game, the other inhabitants of the house downstairs in the living room still, _The Worst Pies in London_ thrumming softly through the floorboards. Too afraid to wake Riku up if he were to open up the door and slip outside, he headed to the bathroom, glancing over to the bed to make sure his lover was still asleep before closing the door quietly behind him. He dialed a number and lifted his phone to his ear, waiting for the other line to pick up. It did after a moment, a deep, familiar voice greeting his ears.

"Hello father."

" _Axel,_ " the man said, his voice calm and collected, " _Is there a reason why you're calling me so late_?"

The redhead looked up, meeting his own eyes in the bathroom mirror, clenching his fist. "There is," he replied, "I need to know how much I'm allowed to have access to in the immediate future out of my savings account."

The man made a curious sound between a laugh and a sigh. " _Ah, I see. Did you wreck your car again?_ "

Axel bit his tongue, forcing his voice to remain calm. "No, it's not that. I need funds to do some research on a specific condition, and then there's the possibility of a surgery if it's even possible to fix…"

Axel's father grumbled for a moment, thinking to himself, then replied in a questioning tone, " _Is this a personal issue?_ "

The boy nodded, replying to the man's question with, "Yes. It's very personal. And I would be very grateful, father."

" _Very well._ " He replied, a yawn echoing through the phone. " _You have access to half of your savings effective immediately. That should be more than enough to suffice whatever needs you're facing right now._ "

Axel's heart sped up. _Half? But that's nearly half a million dollars…_ He swallowed, then replied, "Thank you father."

The man on the other side of the line made an affirming noise, then after a moment hung up. Axel listened to the dial tone for a moment, then let the phone slip from his ear, closing it slowly and laying it down beside the sink. He steadied himself against the counter, leaning against his palms and looking at himself in the mirror, a soft laugh escaping him before he even realized he had thought of laughing in the first place. His father had just given him access to around half a million dollars. He could contact any sort of specialist on the planet with that kind of cash. If there was anyone out there, anyone who could help Riku with his sight, who could bring light back into his eyes, who could stop his boyfriend from ever hurting again when he cried… He would find them. And he would bring back Riku's sight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More to come!


	20. Transition

Riku woke up after a few hours, reaching out for Axel only to find that the older boy wasn't there. The pale blonde rubbed his eyes and reached out from underneath the covers, feeling around over the side of the bed until he found his clothes. Half asleep, he pulled on his boxers and jeans, then stood up and called softly, "Axel?" The older boy didn't reply, Riku walking towards the door of the bedroom and opening it cautiously. His ears were greeted with music, the party still raging full-force downstairs, several girls laughing and talking together, but no one that sounded like Axel. He sniffed the air, trying to find the other boy's scent. He located it after sorting through the smell of cookies and hot cocoa, Riku's fingertips flitting across the wall as he followed that warm cinnamon scent to the music room. Careful not to press against the door and fall down the stairs again, Riku listened through the wall. Axel was talking to someone softly, but there was no one answering him. He must be on the phone. Riku pushed open the swinging door slowly, feeling along the wall and stepping safely down the small staircase, walking cautiously across the room towards Axel's voice, the red-head looking up and noticing the younger boy's approach, finishing up his phone call and reaching out for his boyfriend.

"Hey, sorry I wasn't there when you woke up. I was trying to get back to you before you did."

Riku smiled, holding Axel's hands tightly, "It's alright. Was it something important?"

Axel laughed softly, the sound warm in Riku's ears. "Yes, it's very important. As a matter of fact, it's probably one of the most important phone calls I've ever made."

Confused, Riku asked, "Was it your manager? Is something happening with _Chakram_?"

Axel laughed, pulling the boy close. "No, it's nothing like that. Actually, I was calling around to a couple of specialists my mother had recommended to check out."

"Specialists?" Riku asked, his dead eyes searching the darkness for his boyfriend.

"There's a doctor in a city several hours from here that is specializing in a new type of eye surgery to restore lost sight. I was asking him about it. He said that he would be more than happy to have a consultation with you and evaluate your eyes, to see if there was anything they could do to help you…"

Riku furrowed his brow. "But Axel, you don't have to do all of that. I'm fine, really…"

Axel sighed, noticing how worried Riku suddenly looked, "Hey, it's alright. It was just a phone call, okay? No harm done."

Riku thought about that for a moment, then nodded, allowing Axel to tilt his head up and plant a gentle kiss against his lips. When they parted, the younger boy said softly, "Will you come lay down with me?"

"Of course…" Axel said gently, leading Riku back across the music room, then down the hallway to his bedroom, closing the door behind them. He watched Riku as he pulled away, shrugging out of his jeans and returning to the warm cocoon of the sheets and blankets, Axel stripping off his shirt and jeans before joining him in the bed. Riku turned to look up at him blindly when he settled down on the bed, the pale boy reaching up and pressing his hands against his chest, his fingers stroking against his skin shyly. Axel chuckled, leaning in and kissing the younger boy once more, Riku closing his eyes and allowing his boyfriend to press their lips together over and over. They parted eventually, Riku's face flushed, Axel smiling down at him lovingly. "You enjoyed yourself earlier?" Riku's blush deepened, the boy leaning in and burying his face against Axel's chest before nodding. "Good, I'm glad…"

"After I fell asleep," Riku asked softly, "Did…did you…?"

Axel blinked, and then laughed, saying, "No, I didn't. I don't have to every time that you do. It's alright."

"O-Okay…" Riku said, his face burning against Axel's chest, "But…if you wanted me to…I would."

Axel backed away just enough that he could see the eagerness and curiosity across Riku's face, the older boy dipping down and reconnecting their lips, kissing him for several long minutes, the pale blonde wrapping his arms around the red-head's neck and pulling him close. Riku eventually pulled away, panting, his face flushed a pretty crimson. Axel spoke before the younger boy could, saying softly, "I'll take you up on that sometime, but for right now, I just want you to relax and enjoy yourself, alright? Don't worry about me. I can take care of myself. Trust me."

Riku nodded, smiling softly. "Alright, Ax…"

The boys kissed and held one another for a while, and then finally they settled down to lay against one another, Riku pressed against Axel's chest comfortably while the older boy stroked his hair. "Riku?" he asked softly, "Can I talk to you about what the doctor said earlier?"

The younger boy tensed slightly, but then replied, "What did he say?"

Axel hesitated, then began. "The doctor said that if he sees you, and they discover that they can restore your sight, they'll have to do surgery. I described your pain to him, and he said that they might have to remove some of the scar tissue from around your eyes to fix that. Then of course there's the eye surgery itself. It has something to do with cutting, and lazers, I'm not sure about all of the details. But it's state of the art technology, and he has a very high success rate of restoring partial vision, if not all of it."

"And he lives far away?"

Axel nodded, "He said it's almost a day's drive, but we wouldn't have to worry about that. If we needed to I could fly us out to see him."

Riku lifted himself up, pushing away from Axel. "I don't want you to have to do that. Flying is expensive…and there's no telling how expensive this specialist's consultation would be, let alone anything that would come after that. X-rays, scans, blood work, a surgery…" He shook his head. "My parents are still working on paying off all of Naminé's hospital bills! We can't afford something like that…"

The older boy listened to his boyfriend's words, then said softly, "Riku, you have no idea who my father is, do you?"

Riku turned towards the sound of Axel's voice. "No, you don't talk about your parents very much… Who is he?"

"My father is the owner of most of the banks on this side of the country. He's known across the nation for his work in the stock markets, and banking. He's…he's a millionaire, Riku. Reno and I, we have a lot of money to throw around…" He hesitated for a moment, then continued, "If you want this, if this is something that you need to have done, I will make it happen for you. You don't have to worry about the bills, I'll gladly pay for all of it. I just want you to be happy…"

Riku's face reflected his worry. "But Axel, I am happy. You make me very happy…"

"Then why were you crying earlier telling me you wished you could see me?" the older boy asked gently, rubbing the younger boy's back. "Baby, I love you, and I would do anything for you. And I know you won't take advantage of that fact." He wrapped his arms around Riku, the younger boy clutching his hand against the red-head's chest. "I know you would never ask me to do something like this, that's why I'm offering this to you. If you want to be able to see again, and if there's any way that I can help make that happen, I want you to let me…"

"Axel…" Riku said, his voice wavering, "I don't know…"

"Will you at least think about it?" Axel asked, his voice soft, "I know it's a lot to take in right now, and maybe I shouldn't have gone behind your back and asked about it without you knowing beforehand… But I was just trying to help…"

Riku reached up and touched Axel's face, lifting himself up and pressing their lips together. "I'll think about it. Thank you for being so considerate. You always do so much for me…"

Axel let out a silent sigh, holding Riku close, "Sometimes I feel like I don't do enough."

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

The two boys held one another close for a long time, then eventually they decided to go downstairs and check on their friends. Who, of course, we having way too much of a good time. They had brought out the _Dance Dance Revolution_ game that had been hidden in the back of the closet for many, many months. Axel had almost wondered if they had accidentally thrown it away after their last party clean-up. As they descended the stairs and entered the living room Yuffie and Reno were cheering Tasogare and Naminé on as they danced against one another, the two girls evenly matched for the most part. The crowd had deemed it was highly amusing to see the two well-endowed girls dance, and they were both having to cross their arms over their chests to keep themselves from bouncing. Sora and Roxas were laughing hysterically at their friend, while Kurei and Kairi tried not to make too much fun of Tasogare. Riku, of course, wasn't able to see what everyone was laughing about, Axel quickly explaining it to the younger boy. He snorted and covered his face with his hand, cheering, "You can do it girls! Go for it!"

The song stopped abruptly after a loud flourish of whistles and bells, the two girls laughing and giving one another high-fives, careful to avoid Naminé's cast as they did so. They took their seats on the couch, Naminé fanning herself with her good hand and laughing over at Sora. "Remind me to bring a sports bra next time! Sheesh!"

"They totally did it on purpose!" the brunette giggled, "They were making bets on who would bounce the highest!"

Roxas, looking over in a half-drugged daze, nodded with a wide smile. "Yup! We voted for you, Naminé! You've got some big ones!"

Sora swatted his boyfriend's arm, the two friends laughing together, the blonde girl looking up over the back of the couch and reaching out for her brother. "Hey Riku! Where did you two disappear to?"

Axel smiled, saying while the younger boy blushed, "We were just getting some quality cuddle time in before the party really started."

"Did someone say get this party started?" Reno asked, prancing over to his brother. "Fabulous! I'll bust out the champagne!"

"And I'll bring out some more cookies!" Yuffie said cheerily, rushing off to the kitchen.

"Be careful not to walk in on them again…" Vincent said wirily from the corner of the room, a small grin across his face. Larxene and Marluxia shared a small laugh, the blonde girl shaking her head while Marluxia placed a hand on his hip, watching the small dark-headed girl go with amusement shining in his eyes.

Yuffie must have heard Vincent after all, because she called on her way to retrieve the cookies, "I'm coming in to get more cookies you two! I promise I won't peek!"

Axel watched the girl push open the door to the kitchen, catching a glimpse of Cloud and Zack making out before she grabbed a plate of cookies off of the counter and left them alone in the kitchen, trotting back over to the living room while taking a bite out of one of the cookies. "Mmm! These are white chocolate chip! Yum!"

"Let me try!" Demyx said, reaching over the couch and grabbing one from her. The girl grinned at him, watching him pop the other half of the cookie into his mouth then reach for a second.

"Are they good?" Zexion asked the other boy, Demyx grinning around his mouthful and nodding, offering him a bite of his cookie. Zexion took a bite, chewing slowly and then nodding in agreement, "Not too shabby! We'll have to make sure that Cloud keeps Zack around."

Riku laughed softly at that comment, Axel pulling him around the edge of the couch, the two boys finding a spot to sit as Kurei and Taso cleaned up all of the game stuff. The mint-haired girl turned around to survey those sitting on the couch, asking with a hand on her hip, "Alright! Who has the first pick on the scary movies?"

"Ooo! Me!" Roxas said, raising his hand, Sora looking over at him in amusement. "We should watch that new one about the guy and the wolves! I heard that one's scary…"

Sora patted his boyfriend, " _The Grey_ isn't that scary you know, you just don't like wolves…"

"It's not that I don't like wolves," Roxas protested, "I just don't like being chased down and eaten by wolves!"

That seemed to strike a chord within Tasogare, the girl's face twisting for a moment before she turned away, Kurei speaking up for her, "Let's watch something else, what about one of the _Exorcist_ movies?"

"Or we could watch the _Paranormal Activity_ movies!" Demyx chimed in, "I heard there are three of them now…"

As the rest of the group tried to decide on what movie to watch, Tasogare wandered off into the next room, trying to keep herself from losing it. Shiloh was there a moment later, she could feel the warmth of his hand against hers. " _Hey, it's alright sis…_ " he whispered through her thoughts, the girl fighting back the tears threatening to pour over her cheeks.

"It's all my fault. I should have been there to protect you."

" _You would have gotten killed too, Taso…_ " Shiloh said softly, " _You were just a kid back then. You can't blame yourself…_ " The boy looked up, sensing someone else was approaching, a faint smile crossing his lips.

Naminé appeared in the doorway a moment later, her pink cast shining in the light from the living room, looking into the darkness with concern. "Tasogare? Are you alright?"

The older girl wiped her cheeks stepping forward towards the light pouring in from the other room, "I'm fine, Naminé. Thanks for checking up on me."

"Of course…" the girl said, catching a flash of gold behind her shoulder, but there was nothing there. Shiloh was already gone. She hesitated, then said, "I'm sure Roxas has no idea about what happened to Shiloh. He didn't mean any harm."

"Oh, yes. I know." She said, smiling softly. "Everything's alright. Let's go back… Did they decide on what movie to watch yet?"

"Not quite," Naminé said, moving her attention to Reno who was passing out bubbly, fruity drinks. She smiled when Sora refused to let Roxas have a glass, concerned it would interact badly with his pain medicine, and then glanced back at Taso. "Are there any that you would suggest?"

-x-x-x-

After debating back and forth with Kurei and Kairi, Tasogare decided to suggest watching a movie about a girl who insults an old witch, and the witch curses her. It was called _Drag Me To Hell_ , and it wasn't necessarily too scary, but it had a few points that made everyone jump. By the end of that movie, they were ready for another, and almost everyone had refilled their glass at least once. The next scary move was _Case 39_ , about a little girl whose parents are trying to kill her, and a social worker takes the little girl under her wing. As it turns out, the case worker ends up finding out that the child does in fact need to be killed, and the entire movie turns into a round of who's going to kill who first.

Yuffie, having had about three glasses too many of her bubbly champagne, was squeaking in fear every time the camera panned around the corner. Demyx found it rather funny, Zexion was content to roll his eyes and ignore her.

Tasogare and Kairi had seen the movie before, but surprisingly enough Kurei hadn't. He was holding Kairi's hand lightly, careful not to move too quickly around her for fear of bumping her sore ribs. The magenta-haired girl wasn't about to admit how thrilled she was that the blue-haired boy was holding her hand, but she was fluttering like a bumblebee on the inside.

Larxene and Marluxia spent most of their time out of the main crowd, which seemed to be Vincent's normal spot, so the three older teens chatted softly, not paying too much attention to the movie. They sipped their drinks and laughed at one another's comments now and then.

Cloud and Zack were nowhere to be found, off in the kitchen making out again, no doubt.

Axel held Riku gently, describing the movie to him, the younger boy jumping more than once when something startling happened. There was always a slow crescendo in the music, then suddenly something would happen. Riku clung to Axel, giggling and holding his arm tightly, the red-head promising to never let him go.

Sora and Naminé huddled together watching the movie, Roxas dosing softly at their side. At one point they jumped and almost woke the blonde boy up, but Sora rubbed his shoulder until he faded back into sleep. Once that movie was over, they decided to watch _Silent Hill_. "Could you guys pick a movie without a scary chick in it next time?" Demyx asked, shuddering and looking over at Zexion. "I mean jeeze, it's like women are possessed 24/7 or something ridiculous. I've never seen so much crazy in my life!"

Zexion raised an eyebrow, looking over at Yuffie, who was now sitting on the floor with Reno, the two tipsy friends arguing over how scary one movie was versus another movie. But then, as soon as the opening scenes for _Silent Hill_ began then were glued to the screen, waiting for the next scary thing to pop up and startle them with wide, expectant eyes. "You mean you've never seen that kind of crazy before?"

"Oh yeah," Demyx said, letting out a deep sigh. "I guess we can always use Yuffie's scariness to compare to the horror movie chicks." He stroked his chin in mock thoughtfulness. "Now that I think about it, she is just about an equal match…"

Axel, who was listening to their conversation, added, "Just think about dressing her up for Halloween in one of those long, black wigs. She would look just like that little contortionist Asian girl from those movies you hate."

Demyx shuddered visibly, "Great Axel, now I'm going to have those images in my head. All. Night. Long. And we're sleeping over!" He smacked his hand across his face. "We're doomed…"

Zexion laughed, reaching over and wrapping an arm around his friend's waist. "Don't worry, Dem. I'll protect you."

Demyx, surprised at first, quickly let his shock fade, saying back with a smile, "Sexi Zexi here to save the day! My hero!"

Axel smiled, watching his two friends. Well at least Demyx was starting to flirt back a bit, and he seemed to no longer be interested in Yuffie. He just wondered if his friend had actually informed the petite girl that he was no longer interested. She seemed to be the type that until something was directly told to her face she would keep on and on about it. He hoped that it wouldn't hurt their friendship once he finally told her the truth, they had been great friends for years now and it would be hard on Demyx to suddenly lose her. Especially over something like finally finding the guy of his heart, and being happy for once. But sometimes, jealously could be a powerful, ugly thing. Hopefully their friendship would be able to endure it.

Riku moved against him drowsily, Axel looking down at the other boy, smiling to himself. Riku was so damned cute, and warm, and perfect… _Except for his eyesight…_ Axel kicked himself inwardly. He couldn't push this on Riku; this was a big deal, and he knew that. This was major surgery, and he could either make a lot of progress, or he could not get any better at all. But if there was even a small chance that this could fix everything… Axel was willing to take that chance. He would do anything for Riku. Anything.

-x-x-x-

Cloud pushed Zack back against the counter again, the two boys kissing furiously. The blonde pulled away, whispering up to the taller boy, "Can we go upstairs maybe? Tell them we're tired?"

Zack chuckled. "I think that would be even more suspicious than us hiding out in the kitchen baking cookies all night."

Cloud pouted, lifting himself up onto his toes and kissing Zack again, the dark-headed boy pulling him close. They stayed locked in that embrace, kissing over and over again, until the kitchen timer dinged and they had to break apart for Zack to pull some cookies out of the oven. "Mmm, those smell amazing." Cloud said softly, reaching over and dipping his finger in one of the melted chocolate chips, licking it off of his finger while looking up at Zack with flirty eyes. The older boy's breath hitched slightly, pulling away from the oven to pick up Cloud by the waist, carrying him to the nearby kitchen table and sitting him on top of it, grinding their hips together. Cloud had never been this aggressive before, always hanging back shyly while Zack took the lead. What was different now? Was it that he now knew for sure that Zack was over Sephiroth? Was he now ready to give himself freely to Zack?

The older boy pushed him down onto the table, lifting up the blonde's shirt slightly and smoothing his hands across his sides, Cloud's muscles flexing beneath his fingertips. He pulled back, looking down at the boy before him, instantly filled with the desire to mark him as his own. He shuddered, looking away and trying to still his racing heart, Cloud reaching up and tugging on his arm.

"What is it?" he asked, panting softly, looking up at the other boy with hazy eyes.

Zack hesitated, then leaned down and pulled Cloud against his chest, the blonde wrapping his arms around the other boy's shoulders, Zack tilting the younger boy's neck to the side and biting him gently. Cloud gasped, surprised, but then relaxed against the older boy, tilting his head back a little further to allow his boyfriend better access. Zack bit him again, a tad bit harder than before, and began sucking gently, Cloud squeezing his arms tighter around the darker boy's neck, his heart pounding in his ribcage. The blonde bit his lip to keep from gasping, his body reacting unexpectedly to the older boy's ministrations, a small gasp slipping past his lips and igniting a fire within Zack. He bit down once again, sucking gently, Cloud dizzy from the rush of blood to his head, closing his eyes and surrendering himself to the older boy. A moment later Zack pulled away, licking his lips, evaluating the large purple hickey he'd left on his boyfriend's neck with a chuckle. "Sorry about that, it's a bit darker than I had expected. Your skin is so fair, I should have thought about that beforehand…"

He was interrupted by Cloud leaning in and kissing him, the two boys pressing together, Zack pleasantly surprised to feel how aroused his young lover had become over a simple love bite. If he had enjoyed this, what else would the innocent blonde enjoy… He grinned, kissing Cloud back happily. _I guess there's only one way to find out_ …

-x-x-x-

After several hours of watching scary movies, drinking, and laughing while telling scary stories in the dark as they passed around a small flashlight, the house, for the most part, had passed out. Vincent was still awake, sipping his drink silently, keeping a watchful eye over his sleeping friends. Axel and Riku were half awake, cuddled up together on the couch, the younger boy yawning and curling up against the red-head's chest. The movement seemed to stir Axel, the older boy looking around and realizing that everyone was asleep, then reaching down and scooping Riku up in his arms, getting up from the couch and slowly making his way through the house and up the stairs to his bedroom. The sleepy blind boy yawned again as they entered the bedroom, Axel closing the door with his foot gently before carrying his boyfriend over to the bed, laying him down gently. He pulled off Riku's jeans, then shrugged out of his own, and his shirt, moving to lay down behind Riku, the boy's thin t-shirt twisted to reveal one of his collarbones. Axel leaned in and kissed the exposed skin, the younger boy making a soft sound and blinking open his eyes, tugging his boyfriend's arm so that Axel was holding him tightly.

He smiled, then mumbled sleepily, "Love you…"

Axel felt warmth spread through his chest, his eyes soft as he whispered back, "I love you too, Riku. Have sweet dreams…"

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

Riku was running, trying to find something. Or was it someone? There were blurred colors and shapes, then he was at the willow tree from his childhood, standing at the place where he had fallen. He stared at the grass, imagining that this must have been the last thing that he saw before he lost his sight. Or maybe the last thing he saw was the branch he'd struck on the way down. He turned to look at the tree, noticing movement at the base of the trunk where the boughs were the thickest. There was someone waiting there beneath the willow tree, someone with fiery red hair. When he turned to look at Riku, he could see shimmering cat-green eyes shining out from the shadows of the tree. He thought the face was familiar, then he realized who it was, the scent of cinnamon filling his senses. "Axel…?"

-x-x-x-

The red-headed boy peeked out of the bathroom, drying his hair off with a towel. His boyfriend was still asleep on the bed, whispering something as he dreamed. He chuckled softly, walking over and touching his shoulder gently. "Hey, Riku..."

"Axel…?" the boy murmured, his brow arching and his eyes flitting back and forth behind closed lids, the older boy sitting down on the bed beside him, stroking the boy's long white-blonde hair.

"Hey babe, wake up. The storm has stopped. Everyone's going out to play in the snow…"

Riku stirred a moment later, blinking open his eyes and searching the darkness, reaching up searchingly and sighing when he found Axel's hand. "Oh, Ax… I had the strangest dream…"

The older boy smiled, "It's alright. Whatever it was, it was just a dream." He leaned down and kissed the younger on the forehead.

Riku nodded, letting out a long breath to calm himself. It hadn't necessarily been a bad dream, but he had seen Axel, actually seen him as if he had his sight back. Just like that time at the concert, when he caught a glimpse of his red hair…

"You want to take a shower?"

Axel's words snapped Riku out of his thoughts, the blind boy smiling and tilting his head towards his boyfriend's voice. "Yeah, a hot shower sounds nice."

The older boy walked back into the bathroom, turning on the water for Riku, looking back over his shoulder towards the bed, watching as Riku stripped off his shirt then ran a hand through his long hair. A smile twisted the older boy's lips. Maybe today he could talk to Riku a bit more about seeing the specialist…

-x-x-x-

Riku showered, then bundled up in some of Axel's warmest clothes, then the two boys headed outside into the cold, several voices greeting them as they walked outside into the snow. "Hey guys!" Naminé called from where she was making a snowman with Tasogare and Kairi, "Watch out for Yuffie! She's having a snowball fight with Demyx, Zexion, and Reno!"

"Of course she is," Axel said, Riku laughing at his side, their mitten-covered hands intertwined.

"Steer us clear of the flying snowballs please?" Riku asked with a smile, "I want to try to stay warm for as long as possible."

Axel smiled, leading him over to Naminé, looking up at Tasogare and saying, "What do you say we show them how the big kids play in the snow?"

Tasogare grinned, a sudden competitive look in her eyes. "To the last one standing?"

"Oh yeah, you're on!"

Axel and Tasogare ran off across the yard to where their friends had made giant trenches in the snow, ducking down behind the trees and piled up snow to avoid the snowballs flying through the air. Naminé and Kairi watched them go, the blonde girl laughing softly. She patted down the snowman one-handed, careful not to get her cast wet. Kairi coughed, wheezing slightly. "I think the cold is getting to me. I'm going to go inside and get some hot chocolate from Kurei."

"Okay!" the other girl said cheerily, the magenta-haired girl waving to her as she walked off back to the house, leaving Naminé and Riku alone together by the snowman. The girl glanced over at her brother who was gliding his hands around the edges of the snowman, reaching down and packing on snow to help the weak points in the design. "You okay Ri-kun?"

Riku opened his mouth to speak, then stopped, and then after a moment began again. "Axel contacted a specialist about my eyesight. There's apparently a doctor who specializes in restoring sight, and Axel wants me to go see him and have the doctor do an evaluation to see if there's anything they can do to fix me."

Naminé gasped, "Oh wow! That's amazing! I'm so excited for you!"

Riku shook his head, "I still don't know if I want to go. He lives far away, Axel said that we would probably fly there because driving would take too long."

Naminé thought to herself for a moment, then said, "Well, I'm sure if you talked to mom and dad about it…"

"He said he would pay for it. All of it." Riku said, looking blindly towards the sound of his sister's voice. "His father is apparently this big-deal banker or something. He said that he knew I wouldn't take advantage of him, and that he…he wants to pay for everything if there's a chance that it will make me better."

Naminé waited, gauging Riku's tone and expression. "But you think that you are taking advantage of him?"

"How can I not be! He would be spending so much money on me, Naminé…"

The girl reached over and touched her brother's shoulder. "Riku, what else did Axel say. There's something else, isn't there?"

Riku hesitated, a faint blush crossing his cheeks. "He said…he said that he loves me…"

Naminé giggled softly, wrapping her good arm around her brother lovingly. "Oh, Ri-kun. You should let him do this for you. You should. I think what he's doing is the right thing, he is following his heart!" She leaned in, pressing her nose to Riku's cheek. "He's giving you a gift, and you should graciously accept that gift, no matter how expensive or inexpensive that gift may be."

Riku's heart twisted uneasily, but beneath all of the confusion and mixed emotions there was the beginning of excitement. If he did go see the specialist, and they did say that they could fix him, then maybe he would be able to see again. Maybe everything would go so well that he would actually have his sight restored so that it was like he had never fallen from that tree that night. But he would never know unless he took a chance on this, and at least tried… He nodded to his sister, "Alright, I'll do it."

The albino girl grinned, giving her brother a kiss on the cheek and hugging him close. "I'm so happy for you, brother. I'm so glad that you're finally in love."

-x-x-x-

Later that night after dinner, Riku pulled Axel upstairs into the music room, the red-head following after him with a soft smile. "What are you doing?" he asked, squeezing the younger boy's hand gently.

Riku turned to face him, reaching out and clutching the fabric of Axel's hoodie. "I've decided. I think it will be alright if we go see this specialist of yours."

Axel beamed, "That's great! I can call and make the arrangements…"

"I just don't want you to be disappointed," Riku said, looking up towards Axel's voice with concern across his face. "If there's nothing they can do. I don't want you to be upset, or feel as if you failed me… Because if you were to ever feel like that, it would break my heart…"

The older boy's eyes softened, reaching forward and pulling Riku into an embrace, the smaller boy resting his head against his boyfriend's chest, inhaling his scent and trying to calm his racing nerves. "I just want to see what they say Riku. We can decide what we want to do once they take a look and see what they think, okay?"

Riku nodded against the older boy's chest, "Okay…"

Axel reached up, petting Riku's hair. "Alright. I'll wait a few days just in case you change your mind. Once the snow melts, if you still want to go, I'll make the call for you."

Riku smiled, squeezing his arms around the red-head's torso. "You know me better than I know myself sometimes."

Axel laughed, tilting Riku's face up and kissing him softly. "You make me so happy, Riku. You mean so much to me."

Riku blushed lightly, his chest warm, his heart fluttering. "You make me happy too, Axel. I don't know what I would do without you…"

The red-head dipped down and kissed him again, Riku sighing against his lips. They were going to do this. They were finally going to be able to see if there was anything that could be done to restore Riku's sight. Axel sent a silent prayer up to the heavens to whoever may be listening up there. _Please, whatever happens, just let him love me always. Let him be happy, always, with me_ … They kissed again, Axel feeling as if his heart may burst. He was so in love with Riku. It was unlike anything else he had ever felt before. He never wanted that feeling to fade away.


	21. Unveiled

Riku swallowed nervously. He'd been on a plane a few times when he was little, and he didn't really remember it, but for some reason he was pretty sure it wasn't the plane that was making him a nervous wreck. They were heading to a city near Jepsin, called Preoria **(1)**. Preoria was well known for its advancements in technology and medicine, where Jepsin was known for its fashion, arts, and music. They were flying into an airport between the two cities, and then renting a car while they visited the city. This wasn't a big deal, as they had virtually endless supplies of money at their disposal… So Riku assumed it was the actual consultation itself that had him so riled up. He had never really had any good experiences related to visiting a hospital. One was for his accident, the other for Naminé's accident, and of course Roxas' gunshot wound. There weren't exactly any happy memories when he thought about visiting the doctor. Luckily Axel was going to be with him the entire time; he was not going to leave his side. Not for anything. So that made things a bit better. But Riku was still extremely nervous. Something about cutting into his eyes, and laser treatment, and removing all of his scar tissue just made him squirm at the thought. Maybe it was because he was so sensitive about his eyes, he wasn't completely sure. His mind racing with thoughts, Riku barely noticed as they made their way through security and across the airport to their gate where they were to wait about an hour for their flight. It was only when Axel lifted his chin and planted a kiss on his lips that he snapped out of his thoughts, Riku laughing softly and blinking up at his boyfriend. "What was that for?"

"To get you to stop worrying," Axel said softly, squeezing the younger boy's hand. "I'm not going anywhere babe, I promise. You've got nothing to worry about. And if we don't like this guy, we can just walk out. Don't feel obligated to stick with this doctor; if he's not the one for us I can do some more searching, find another specialist, there are a couple others that do very similar procedures…"

"Now who's worrying?" Riku said, tilting his head up for a kiss.

Axel chuckled softly, leaning in and reconnecting their lips. "Alright, so we both need to stop worrying. I guess I should learn to take my own advice, huh?" Riku smiled, his blind eyes looking around as his ears picked up on several strange sounds. One was a Gameboy, then there were several pairs of high heels, and a baby crying… Others he wasn't so sure about, something sounded like air, maybe a fan? Or someone's oxygen? He swallowed, clutching Axel's hands. The red-head wrapped an arm around the younger boy's shoulder. "It's alright, I've got you."

Riku nodded against his chest, trying to settle his nerves. Everything was going to be alright, Axel was here. Axel would never let anything happen to him, no matter what strange sounds, or smells, or feelings he had. Axel loved him, and would do anything for him, and would never leave him, ever. Riku let out a long, calming sigh, lifting his head up and asking worriedly, "It's not supposed to start snowing again until the end of the week, right?"

"That's right," Axel said, nodding, "But if for some reason the snow comes early we can always wait out a few days in Jepsin before heading back. That's not a big deal."

Riku smiled and began to comment, but suddenly the announcer came on over the speaker system at the gate. " _The plane will now start boarding first class. First class passengers, please come to the front of the line. Thank you._ "

"That's us," Axel said, picking up their bags with one hand and taking Riku's hand in the other. "You ready?"

Riku swallowed, but nodded firmly, as if trying to convince himself along with Axel. "I'm ready." He followed along beside Axel, and together they walked to the plane.

-x-x-x-

Riku clutched Axel's hand as they took off, chewing his gum furiously. The last thing he needed was a headache for the duration of a three hour flight, unable to see what was going on around them, unable to do anything about his sudden claustrophobia… Axel rubbed his palm soothingly, his brow arched in concern as he watched his boyfriend. Maybe this was a bad idea; maybe he had pressured Riku into doing this too soon… But as the plane leveled out and the roaring of the jet engines pushing themselves to ascend into the sky dulled to a low roar, Riku seemed to relax a bit, looking over in Axel's direction with a weak smile. "So that was the hard part, right?"

Axel sighed as well before laughing softly, "That, and the landing. In between it's pretty much like riding in a car. There might be a couple of bumps now and then, but other than that…"

A stewardess walked by after a few moments of level flight, dipping down and asking sweetly, "Hi there boys, is there anything I can get for you? A refreshment? Headsets for the movie?"

Axel looked to Riku, squeezing his hand gently. The blind boy hesitated, but then said, "A sprite would be nice, if that's okay?"

The older boy smiled, and then nodded to the stewardess before adding, "I'll have a cherry coke, thank you."

The girl walked off to fetch their drinks, Riku listening to her footsteps as she left. He relaxed his hand in Axel's grip, tracing his fingertips against the red-head's palm. "A cherry coke, huh?"

Axel smiled, "Just in case you get tired of your sprite."

Riku laughed softly, leaning over and resting his cheek against Axel's shoulder, closing his eyes and letting out a long, deep breath. "Do you really think that this doctor will be able to do anything to help?"

Axel reached up, rubbing Riku's back as he replied, "My mother normally knows what she's talking about, and I did a bit of research myself. His other patients have had very impressive results after their procedures. The numbers look promising, but I've never met the man. So we'll just have to wait and see what we think…"

The stewardess returned a moment later, Axel taking the drinks from her before offering the sprite to Riku, pressing it to the back of his hand. The girl made a soft sound when she realized what Axel was doing and why, saying softly, "Oh, I'm sorry sir. I hadn't realized…"

"It's alright," Axel said, Riku shifting against his shoulder in mild embarrassment, "Thank you for the drinks."

She nodded and backed away with a smile, moving on to talk to the passengers sitting in the seats behind them. The blind boy listened to her leave, then said softly, "Sometimes I forget that people who don't know me are surprised when they find out I can't see."

Axel took a sip of his coke, rubbing Riku's back again. They sat in a comfortable silence, both thinking about different things, the soft rumble of the air against the cockpit ever present around them, like a blanket of sound.

-x-x-x-

As they descended Riku took another piece of gum from Axel, chewing as he felt the gravity around them shift and the plane's nose dip towards the ground. He let out a shaky breath, Axel holding his hand firmly, whispering softly, "It's alright, trust me. This is what it normally feels like."

Riku nodded, pressing himself against the back of his seat and holding onto Axel's hand, his sensations a jumbled mess as the volume of the engines rose, and the plane dipped even further towards the runway. Then, all at once, they bumped against something, Riku recognizing the sound of tires against pavement, and slowly the plane slowed itself to a minimal crawl as it drove across the runway to the boarding gates. They had made it. They were in Preoria. This was it.

They were walking off of the plane a few minutes later, two of the first to leave the plane. Their bags had already been taken care of; someone had packed them neatly into their rental car, which Axel located easily in the airport parking lot. They got into the car, buckled their seatbelts, and then sat there for a moment, the red-head looking over at the pale blonde beside him with soft eyes. "Are you ready, Riku?"

Riku glanced over towards the sound of Axel's voice, his chest twisting with anxiety and excitement. "Yes. I'm ready."

With that, Axel turned the key over to start the car, and they left the airport, driving to the west towards the heart of Preoria. The car's internal GPS guided them for most of the way, before Axel started to notice landmarks he recognized from the eye specialist's website. "Alright then, it should be just up the hill here…" They drove a little ways further, turning into a small parking lot in front of a small, glass building. There were beautiful flowers surrounding the entrance, and there was also a small, bubbling fountain in the middle of the walkway leading up to the sliding glass doors. It was ritzy and exotic looking. First class service from the outside in. Axel parked the car, then reached over and clasped Riku's hand, saying, "If at any time you want to leave, you just say the word and we're gone."

Riku nodded, his heart pounding so loudly in his ears he was almost certain Axel could hear it too. "O-Okay…"

Axel, sensing the younger boy's inner torrent of emotions, leaned over and kissed him softly, Riku sighing against his lips and returning the kiss. "Promise me you'll tell me if anything's wrong?"

"I will," Riku agreed, Axel pressing their foreheads together gently. "I'll tell you if I think he's not the one. I promise."

They climbed out of the car, and then walked up the stone path to the entrance together, holding hands. As they passed, Riku reached out towards the sound of the fountain, his fingertips gliding against the edge of the small waterfall. It was cool and soothing, and somehow that simple touch of water against his skin put him somewhat at ease, the boy allowing Axel to lead him along as they opened the glass doors to the clinic and stepped inside. Riku could hear water in this room as well, two fountains echoing falling water from either side of the main lobby. Axel stepped forward to talk to the receptionist, Riku at his side, the scent of lilac and gardenia lingering in the air. "We're here for an appointment with Dr. Red?"

"Right this way," the receptionist said, stepping out from behind the large marble counter and walking towards the stairs leading up and around the lobby. "Watch your step."

Axel nodded, leading Riku carefully up the stairs as he always did when they were at his house, the blind boy following after him carefully. When they reached the landing at the top there was another receptionist, the girl smiling at them and holding her hand out towards a large room at the end of the hall, "Welcome sir, the doctor has been waiting for you."

Riku squeezed Axel's hand, the older boy nodding to the girl and walking towards the room at the end of the hall, noticing that the walls were made out of glass, a giant garden clearly visible through the glass walls surrounding them. As they stepped forward into the room, a doctor stepped forward to greet them. He was very tall, and about the age of Axel's father. His hair was a rusty red color, and he had a scar over his right eye. He reached out; shaking Axel's free hand, then looked over at Riku. The smaller boy was half-hiding behind Axel, his hand shaking lightly in the other boy's grasp. "It's nice to meet you both." Dr. Red said, clasping his hands behind his back and walking back into the room, "Please, step inside. Dr. Cait will be here shortly."

Axel looked down at Riku, noticing the younger boy's nervousness. "Do you want to go?"

"N-No, not yet…" Riku said, trying to still his racing heart. "It's just all becoming very real to me, all of a sudden. I guess it's just now hitting me that we're actually here doing this…"

"It's normal to be nervous about this sort of thing," a kind voice said, Axel looking up to see a young doctor walking towards them with jet black hair, a warm smile across his face. "It's not something you can really prepare yourself for. You just have to gather your courage and do it." He looked from Axel to Riku, saying softly, "You seem to be doing a fine job so far."

Riku perked up his head, listening to the sound of the other doctor's voice. It was light, and friendly, and he smelt like the flowers from the lobby. "Are you Dr. Red's assistant?" he asked questioningly.

The dark-headed boy chuckled softly, walking past the two boys and into the room with his fellow doctor, saying as he went, "I'm his partner in crime, I guess you would say. He is the surgeon, and I do the evaluations." He turned back towards Axel and Riku. "Come on in, I assure you I won't bite."

Axel looked down to Riku, the blind boy holding his hand a bit lighter than before. He seemed to be a bit more relaxed, following the younger doctor's voice with his dead eyes. "Riku?" he asked softly, the younger boy glancing up to him, and nodding with a soft smile.

"I think it will be alright." He said softly, "Let's see what they say."

-x-x-x-

Cait Sith was an excellent doctor, careful to take his time as he felt across Riku's forehead and cheeks, then the scar surrounding his eyes. "Close your eyes?" he said softly, Riku fidgeting slightly from where he sat half laid back in the doctor's chair, but following the other boy's request. Cait reached up, feeling gently across the scar, his white gloves smooth against Riku's skin. Axel sat beside him, gently tracing his fingers against Riku's arm and shoulder, watching the doctor's work. "Alright, now open them again." Riku did so, searching the darkness for where he knew the other boy was hovering over him, wondering what he looked like. He smelt nice, his voice was sweet, and Axel seemed to approve. So he must be alright.

Dr. Red was a bit more serious and intimidating, the thirteenth doctor in his family to be specifically refined in restoring eye sight. His education was the top of the line, and his work was immaculate. Cait kept bragging about him as he felt across Riku's eyes, the older doctor standing stoic in the corner, watching his younger friend's evaluation with a half-smile. Cait's words seemed to set Riku's mind at ease, Axel watching his boyfriend's expressions carefully. The worry had faded, the fear was definitely gone, and now his unseeing eyes seemed to hold nothing but excitement and amazement within them. Maybe he had managed to find the perfect match on the first try. It was a long shot, but then again, anything was possible.

"Alright then! Now the last thing I want to try is to see if we can get any sort of light sensitivity to show up on our little computer here." He reached over, picking up two small discs, pressing them to Riku's temples. They stuck there like small suction cups, the blind boy blinking and looking up towards the doctor and Axel searchingly. "Those little sensors are designed to monitor the intake of light into your irises, even if you can't detect them yourself. They'll let us know if the surgery will do anything to restore your sight. I can already tell that removing a layer of the scar tissue will stop the pain you experience when you tense up your face, or cry. But let's see what else we can find..." Riku nodded, twisting his fingers around Axel's, waiting to see what the doctor would do. Cait reached over, clicked a few buttons on the computer sitting beside the chair, and then picked up what looked to be a sleek flashlight, several different colored buttons on the side of the device. "Let me know if you see anything by yourself too, okay?"

"Okay…" Riku replied softly, allowing the doctor to tilt up his head, resting back against the chair and staring upwards. Cait flicked the side of the flashlight on, and like a strobe light it began flashing different pulses of color at different levels of intensity, the light reflecting in Riku's eyes and making little bolts of data on the computer screen beside him.

"This device will flash different types of light; each one will make your eyes react a bit differently." Cait said, looking over at Axel. "You'd be surprised how sometimes your eyes are still able to recognize certain levels of brightness, or a specific color, even when everything else is black. We have a patient one time that couldn't see-"

Riku gasped suddenly, clutching Axel's hand. The older boy looked over in concern, asking, "Are you alright?"

"I saw red!" Riku said happily, "I saw it! I swear! It's the same color as your hair!"

Cait looked over at Axel, "He's been able to see you before?"

The older boy hesitated, and then replied, "We always thought it was just his imagination…"

"And green!" Riku cheered, laughing and squeezing his boyfriend's hand. "I knew I could see you! I knew it! You have bright green eyes and red hair. I knew I saw it…"

Cait smiled at the blind boy's excitement, reaching over and clicking away at his keyboard for a moment, the flashlight continuing to pulse before Riku's eyes. "Yes, this is very good. We're getting strong readings for color recognition." He looked back at Dr. Red, who nodded, stepping forward towards his young companion.

"If you recommend the surgery, I would be more than happy to perform the procedure for our new patient." The older man looked at Riku, then Axel. "It will take a few weeks to prepare everything, and finish analyzing the data, but if you would like to then we may proceed with the preparations."

Axel looked from the doctor to Riku, rubbing the back of his hand gently. "What do you think?"

The younger boy nodded, a broad smile across his face. "Yes, I'd like that. Very much."

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

A little over a month passed, and Axel and Riku waited patiently for the phone call that would tell them whether or not they would be able to do the surgery. Cait Sith assured them both that he would let them know as soon as he found out the final results, and that they would make arrangements for the surgery as soon as possible after. All they could do in the meantime was wait.

Naminé smiled over at her brother from across the table at the crepe shoppe, asking, "Is that one any good?"

Riku nodded to her, taking another large bite out of his crepe, it was strawberry and banana with vanilla ice cream. "It's very good! Thank you for telling us about this place!"

She nodded, laughing a bit and looking over at Axel. The red-head was talking with Sora and Roxas at the counter, trying to help them decide which crepes to try. "So, how are you and Axel doing?"

"We're great!" Riku said happily. "I'm so glad that mom said he could stay with me during the surgery. I know she and dad wanted to be there, but with their work and everything…"

Naminé nodded, replying softly, "I'm glad that Axel is going to be there with you in the room. I would have loved to have been there, but Cloud and I will be there afterwards when you wake up. We promise."

"That is, assuming that I can even have the surgery…" Riku said softly, taking another bite out of his crepe and chewing slowly. "We still haven't heard anything…"

Axel joined them at the table a moment later, sitting down beside Riku and sighing loudly while looking over at Naminé. "Are they always so damned indecisive?"

She giggled, nodding profusely. "Oh yes! You should see them at the coffee shop! Do I want non-fat milk? Do I want soy? Do I want hot coffee or should it be cold? Or maybe we'll just get tea instead!"

"Are you the reason why my ears are burning?" Roxas said, sitting down beside her, the girl laughing and swatting his arm.

"Did you finally decide on something?" she asked, taking a bite out of her blueberry crepe.

"We went with green tea ice cream, then I got chocolate chips in mine, and he got strawberries in his."

"Of course," Axel said, rolling his eyes. "Because you can't have it completely the same, nor completely different."

"You're one to talk, Ax!" Sora said, sitting down beside Roxas and grinning over at the red-head. "You and Riku share your food all the time too! What fun would it be to share if you got the exact same things all the time?"

"Touché," the older boy said, taking a bite out of his peanut butter and banana crepe, reaching beneath the table and squeezing Riku's hand. The white-blonde smiled over at him, taking another bite of his crepe, when suddenly Axel's phone started ringing, the older boy pulling his hand away from Riku and reluctantly pulling it out of his pocket. "That'll be Demyx, demanding to know why he wasn't invited…"

"Tell him it's because he's too busy sucking face with Yuffie!" Roxas jeered, Sora scowling at him and shaking his head.

"He doesn't like her you know! She just thinks he does…"

"And yet they spend all of their time together…" Roxas said, raising an eyebrow and looking over at his boyfriend.

"Still! I don't think they're like that…"

Axel chuckled, pressing his phone to his ear, "Hello?" His demeanor instantly changed, the other boys at the table noticing and going quiet.

Riku looked over towards Naminé, asking softly, "What is it?"

Naminé shook her head, reaching across the table with her recently de-casted arm and squeezing his hand. "I'm not sure…"

Axel make a few soft sounds of agreement, then a wide smile twisted his lips, the boy looking over at his friends and nodding, his eyes moving to Riku, "Yes! We can do that! At the end of the week? Sure! That's great! I'll let Riku know."

The blind boy's heart was pounding, was Axel talking to Cait? He waited, holding his breath, until his boyfriend said goodbye and placed his phone down on the table with a small thud, searching the darkness hopefully. "Axel?"

The older boy turned and wrapped his arms around Riku, pulling him close. "They said that they could do it! That the surgery is set for this weekend!"

Riku felt a dam within him break, tears of joy pouring out of him like a well needed rain. "T-They said they think I'll be able to see again?"

Axel pulled back, reaching up and holding Riku's face in his hands, wiping away his happy tears with his thumb. "They're going to do everything they can to make sure you have a full sight recovery. It's possible that you'll see as well as you did when you were a kid, Riku! Cait sounded extremely confident!"

Riku smiled, allowing himself to cry, the corners of his eyes prickling unpleasantly but the boy not caring one bit. This was really going to happen, wasn't it? He was going to be able to see again. He was finally going to be able to look up at Axel when the boy dipped down to see him. He was going to be able to tell his sister how pretty she looked when he saw her in the hallway. He was going to be able to see his brother, and their mom and dad…and all of their friends. And Sora, he would be able to see Sora again, after all this time. He sobbed into Axel's chest, a whirlwind of pent up emotions crashing through him like a wave. The older boy held him gently, Naminé looking over to Roxas and Sora, the brunette sniffing and wiping his eyes where he too had been crying happily. They were all together again, and healing, and becoming whole. And after everything they had been through, in the end, it was worth it.

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

The night before the surgery, as Axel and Riku curled up to go to sleep, a sense of uncertainty passed through the younger boy. He couldn't sleep, couldn't seem to let his mind settle enough to fall into pleasant slumber beside his loving boyfriend. Axel could tell something was wrong, pulling Riku close and asking gently, "Do you want to wait? You don't have to do this right now, you know…"

"I know," Riku returned softly, "But I think it'll feel this way no matter how long I wait. It's like what Cait said the first time we met. This isn't something I can prepare for. I just have to do it. I have to be brave."

Axel smiled, leaning in and kissing Riku gently. The younger boy reached up, pressing his fingertips against the other boy's chest, gasping softly when Axel moved over him and pressed him down into the sheets, kissing him again. Slowly their touches became more explorative, Riku moaning softly as Axel rubbed his leg against him, his whole body igniting from that touch. He wouldn't lie and say that he hadn't thought about Axel touching him again when he was enjoying his showers in the morning. But lately they had been so preoccupied with Riku's surgery that they really hadn't had the time to relax and be with one another. Now, with the time that had passed since the last time they had been together, their bodies seemed to be hypersensitive to one another's touch, Axel shuddering beneath Riku's hands as his fingernails dug ever-so-slightly into his shoulders.

"Do you want me to touch you again?" Axel asked softly, the smaller boy shuddering against him and nodding, a fierce blush crossing his cheeks. The red-head smiled down at his boyfriend, kissing his lips gently, slowly pulling his boxers down and wrapping his fingers around his length, Riku moaning and pushing up into his hand. They pressed against one another, kissing hotly, Axel moving his hand faster against Riku's hot flesh. It didn't take long before the younger boy cried out and spilled against Axel's hand, the pale boy shuddering and whimpering as his boyfriend pulled his hand away, clinging to his shoulders as the red-head kissed him again. Chuckling softly, Axel asked, "You feel better now?"

Blushing, Riku laughed softly, replying, "You always make me feel better, even without doing _that_."

Axel chuckled again, laying down beside his lover, pulling Riku into a gentle embrace. "Go to sleep. You have a big day tomorrow."

Riku hesitated, and then asked, "But, what about you?"

Axel pressed a kiss to his lips, and then said, "When you're better, after the surgery, then I'll let you. I just…I don't want to lose control and not be able to stop myself. I would never forgive myself if I hurt you."

Riku blushed, pressing his face against Axel's chest. He was talking about more than just touching, wasn't he? He was talking about them having sex… Which appealed to Riku, but was still something new and foreign to him, and he wasn't sure of himself on the matter…

Sensing he may have given Riku a bit too much to think about, Axel sighed and rubbed his boyfriend's back gently, then softly began to sing.

" _We watch the season pull up its own stakes  
And catch the last weekend of the last week  
Before the gold and the glimmer have been replaced,  
Another sun soaked season fades away…  
_  
" _You have stolen my heart…  
You have stolen my heart…_"

Before he could continue, Riku shifted against his chest, sighing deeply and whispering, "You've stolen my heart too, Ax…"

Axel smiled softly, kissing the younger boy's forehead, humming to him softly until he fell asleep.

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

The surgery took a couple of hours. Axel was sitting by his side the whole time. When Riku awoke, Axel was there, squeezing his fingers gently. "Hey babe, how you doing?"

"Head hurts…" Riku said softly, wincing and reaching up to feel across the back of his eyes. His face was wrapped in a thick soft bandage, gauze peeking out from underneath.

"Alright, I'll go get you something, okay? I'm going to send Naminé and Cloud in to see you now that you're awake."

"Mmm'k…" Riku whispered groggily, Axel kissing his forehead before leaving to go find some pain medicine. Soon after the smell of caramel and marshmallows filled the room, Naminé reaching over and taking her brother's hand gently, Cloud standing by his shoulder and patting his arm.

"Hey kid, you feeling okay?" his older brother asked, Riku smiling and tilting his head towards his voice.

"Yeah, I'm okay…" he said softly, Naminé laughing and holding Riku's hand between her own. "Hey Nami…"

"Hey Ri-kun. I'm glad you're awake. Mother and father are here, and Sora and Roxas are coming by soon too!"

"You didn't have to invite everyone…" Riku said softly, but he felt his sister shift as if she were shaking her head.

"Axel insisted, he flew everyone out to see you. He wanted to make sure that you were okay when you woke up. He thought that all of us being here would help you feel better!"

Riku's heard fluttered, happiness soaring through him. His boyfriend was always so thoughtful, so caring, so wonderful. He was so in love with him. The smell of cinnamon filled his senses as Axel returned, pressing his hand against Riku's, the boy letting go of his sister's hand and taking the pills and cup of water his boyfriend offered, tentatively lifting his head to swallow down the pills, drinking a few sips of water to help them down.

Axel took the cup from him once he was done, standing back with Cloud while Naminé held her brother's hand. Cloud reached over, wrapping an arm around the red-head's neck and whispering to him softly, "Thank you for doing this for my little brother."

The younger boy looked over at Cloud, his green eyes shining. "I would do anything for him, anything to make him happy."

Cloud nodded, smiling at the other boy. "I know you would. That's why even my parents are starting to approve of you." He sighed, saying with a mild pout in his tone, "Now if only I could get them to like Zack, our little family would be perfect…"

Axel chuckled, Naminé looking up at the two boys, Riku tilting his head towards them as well. "Axel?" the younger boy asked, his boyfriend leaning down and giving him a soft kiss.

"Your brother was just welcoming me into the family." He said softly, Riku smiling and squeezing Naminé's hand, then reaching up with his other hand to touch Axel's face.

"I'm so glad you're here with me." He said, his voice faltering a bit, his heart twisting with emotion. "Thank you so much for this. For all of this."

Axel kissed him again, saying softly when he pulled away, "I would do anything for you, Riku. I love you with all my heart."

The blind boy smiled, his heart fluttering as he stroked his fingertips against the red-head's cheek. "I love you too, Axel. I love you so much."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1) Preoria is pronounced (preh-oh-ree-ah), and is a large city near Jepsin.


	22. Vision

Riku slept for most of the plane-ride home, asleep on Axel's shoulder. Naminé kept peeking over the back of her seat at them, Cloud sitting beside her, reading a book. "Has he woken up at all?" the albino asked, Axel looking up at her and shaking his head.

"Not once. Those pills Dr. Red gave him were pretty strong. He said to make sure Riku stayed on them for at least the first few days."

Naminé nodded, her pink eyes looking over her brother's sleeping form. "He's so at ease around you. It's so cute."

Axel chuckled lightly, "I do what I can…"

The stewardess walked by a moment later, asking them to put on their seatbelts as they began their descent back down to earth. They were almost home.

-x-x-x-

Sora and Roxas met with them in the lobby, happy to see their friends again. "The plane ride was so cool!" Sora said, Naminé laughing and hugging him. "Roxas got us some headphones and we watched a movie! Were we really up in the air that long?"

"About three hours," Naminé said with a nod, looking over to Roxas. The blonde boy was yawning, rubbing his eyes sleepily.

"What time is it?" he asked, blinking over at Sora and Naminé.

Cloud was busy talking on the phone with Zack; the older boy was coming to pick them up. "Yeah, we just got off the plane; we can meet you at the gate." He listened for a moment, and then replied, "Yeah, he's alright. He's drugged out of his mind though, Axel's going to have to carry him out I think."

Naminé turned, looking over at the boarding gate where passengers were still exiting from second class, Axel kneeling down beside Riku, who was sitting in a nearby chair, half asleep. The red-head shook Riku's shoulder lightly, whispering something to him softly. Riku just shook his head, whispering something back in return. Naminé smiled as she watched Axel lean forward and plant a kiss on Riku's forehead, then move to gather the younger boy in his arms, lifting him so he could wrap his arms around the red-head's neck. Axel waited until he was sure Riku had a good grip, and then walked over to their group of friends, smiling down at Naminé. "Yeah, I don't think he can walk right now…"

"It's alright," Cloud said, turning towards Axel. "Zack's going to drive us back. You and Riku can sleep in the back if you want until we reach the house."

Axel nodded, "That sounds great. Thanks Cloud."

The older boy nodded, his blonde spikes shifting with his movement. His eyes moved to his little sister, Naminé nodding before he spoke. "I'm driving back! Sora will keep me awake, and Roxas can sleep for a while."

"No wonder she's your best friend ever." Roxas said, Sora smiling up at him and wrapping an arm around his waist.

"Best female friend, anyway," Sora replied, looking over at Riku, and then meeting eyes with Axel. "Take care of him for me, okay?"

The red-head nodded to the small brunette. "You know I will."

The friends said they goodbyes then parted once they walked through the gate. Riku's parents had already left to catch a flight back to their different jobs, but had managed to say hello to their children before they had to leave. Naminé, Sora, and Roxas went to the far east gate, while Cloud, Riku, and Axel met Zack in the center lobby, the tall dark-headed boy greeting them with coffee. "Hey guys, how was the flight back?"

"Long," Cloud said softly, the older boy dipping down to kiss him, "I missed you."

Zack smiled at his boyfriend, saying apologetically, "I'm sorry; I would have asked off work sooner if I had known…"

Cloud grinned, "It's alright. I know how you can make it up to me."

Zack raised an eyebrow at the blonde, laughing softly, then looked over at Axel. "You ready to go home?"

Axel nodded, looking down at Riku, who was breathing deeply against his chest, fast asleep. "Yeah, I think it's time to head back. Riku's pretty out of it."

The boys gathered their bags and packed them into the car, Axel carefully laying Riku down across the back seat, his head in the red-head's lap. He stroked his hair gently, looking down at him with soft green eyes, thinking about everything that Dr. Red had told him before they left.

" _He's going to need to have his dressings changed twice a week, to make sure that everything stays clean, and to check for swelling, or anything that looks out of the ordinary. You can change his bandages, but you must be very careful to have the lights turned down low, and have him keep his eyes closed until they're fully healed._ " The doctor had looked at him very seriously, saying in a stern tone. " _No matter how much he wants to see you, you can't let him expose his eyes to light any more than necessary. It could damage his retina, and undo all of the healing we've managed to help with regarding his irises and scar tissue. I would suggest changing his bandages sometime while he's taking a bath, the warm heat may help him with the pain. Be sure he doesn't take a shower without anything covering his eyes. If the bandages happen to get wet, you can of course change them again. But he doesn't need his face exposed to anything abrasive if at all possible._ "

"Axel? Axel. We're here. Are you awake?" The red-head looked up to see that Cloud and Zack were looking over their shoulders at him, the blonde boy saying once again, "We're at your house now. Do you want me to help you take Riku inside?"

"No, I've got it," Axel replied, moving to unbuckle his seatbelt and gather the younger boy into his arms. "But if you wanted to help bring in the bags that would be great."

Cloud nodded, turning to Zack, who opened his door and went to help Axel drag in his bags before they headed home. Reno met them at the door, helping Zack bring everything inside. Cloud watched his boyfriend and Reno sleepily from the passenger seat. It had been such a long day. He was so ready for bed.

Axel and Riku made their way inside, the red-headed brothers waving goodbye to their friends as the red viper pulled out of their drive way and sped off into the darkness. Reno yawned, turning to his little brother, saying softly, "I'm going back to bed. See you in the morning?"

The younger brother nodded, "Yeah, I'll make you breakfast since you had to get up and let us in."

"Pancakes please!" Reno called, waving as he disappeared into the darkness of the house.

Axel chuckled, looking down at Riku. He was still passed out against his chest, dead to the world. _I'm glad he's asleep and not in pain._ He shifted the boy a bit before heading up the stairs, carrying him carefully into his room and laying him down gently on the bed. He undressed him carefully, sliding his shirt up and over his head, careful that the fabric didn't brush against his bandages as he did so. Then he pulled off the younger boy's shoes and jeans, pulling the sheets over him and tucking him in tenderly. "Sweet dreams, Riku…" he said softly, brushing his long hair away from his face, watching him sleep with soft eyes.

He sighed, pulling two pill bottles out of his pockets and setting them on the top of his dresser, along with his wallet and keys. He hesitated, then pulled out his phone and walked back out into the hallway, and into the music room. He scrolled through his phone, finding the number he was looking for, and then dialed the number,

It rang for a moment, and then someone answered; a soft, sweet voice greeting his ears, " _Hello, Axel._ "

"Hello mother." He said softly. "I know it's late, but I wanted to call you and tell you how grateful I am that you recommended Dr. Red to me. The surgery went well. They said that Riku should recover most of, if not all of, his sight."

" _I'm glad to hear that. He came highly recommended by my receptionist._ " She made a sound between a giggle and a sigh." _I'm sure your father will be happy for you as well_."

Axel smiled, nodding, though he knew she couldn't see. "Thank you, mother. Goodnight."

" _Goodnight dear._ "

He let his hand fall from his ear, clicking the end call button and letting out a long, shaky breath. His parents weren't always around, but when he needed them they were there, if only for a moment. He and Reno had been alone for most of their lives. It reminded him of how Riku's parents were; always on the job, always away from home. There was always an empty house, with no one there to fill it… He swallowed past the knot in his throat, suddenly feeling the urge to cry. He'd been so strong for Riku; he'd arranged everything, he hadn't let his worry show, and his stress levels were through the roof… But it had all been worth it. He swallowed again, blinking away the tears that had started to gather there, and went for one of his guitars. He hadn't really had time to practice much lately with Marl and Larx, but he had been trying to write songs whenever he had the time. He sat down on one of the plush sofas on the other side of the music room, adjacent from the piano, and began to strum a bit. He'd been working on a couple of different lyrics, but he wasn't making much headway. He was trying not to stress out about it too much, but they had an upcoming concert just a few weeks away. While Riku was recovering, he was going to have to use his downtime to work on _Chakram_ 's music. Now that they were finally discovered, and sponsored, he couldn't let anything bring them down.

There were two songs he was writing for Riku, one he had just about perfected, and he had entitled _Stolen_. He sang it to Riku often, and it sounded best acoustic. The other one he was now working on was a bit more of a love ballad, and it was something he wanted to play at the concert. It was something not as upbeat as what they normally played, and Axel wanted to throw it into their playlist just to see how the crowd would react. Their band didn't really have any popular slow songs yet. It was time to broaden their genre. If the band was good, then no matter what type of songs they played their fans would love them. Axel was interested, and anxious, to find out if _Chakram_ was going to be one of those bands; the type that could amass an undyingly loyal fan base that would quickly spread across the country. That would make them nearly as famous as _One Winged Angel_ seemingly overnight…

Axel strummed away for a while, thinking about the lyrics he'd written. His memory was great when it came to his music, and once he had written something down he was able to reshape it in his mind, and eventually put music to it. The more he played, the clearer the song began to form in his mind. He sighed, and then began to sing softly.

" _I've been everywhere around the world and finally here tonight,  
You seem to be the only one to make me feel alright…  
I feel good when I know you're coming down,  
I feel good when I know you'll be around…_

" _So quit your life and stay with me,  
We'll order in and watch TV  
We'll paint the house and wash the car,  
We'll take a walk but not too far,  
So quit your life…and stay with me…"_

Axel nodded to himself absently, reaching forward for some scrap paper on the nearby coffee table, picking up a pen and jotting down a few notes before returning to his guitar.

" _Jepsin to Preoria and all the towns between,  
After miles and hours on the road, you're the best I've seen…  
I feel good, you're the best friend that I've found,  
I feel good when I'm coming back to your town…_

" _So quit your life and stay with me,  
We'll order in and watch TV  
We'll paint the house and wash the car,  
We'll take a walk but not too far,  
So quit your life…and stay with me…  
Stay with me…_"

He smiled, tapping his foot in time with his guitar strokes, feeling his stress melting away.

" _I heard the road, it was calling my name,  
I walked towards the light and I ran towards the flame  
I ran towards the flame…_

" _After all is said and done, I don't mind saying again,  
I say it's true that I'm in love with the places that I've been…  
I feel good when I know you're coming down,  
I feel good when I know you'll be around…_

" _So quit your life and stay with me,  
We'll order in and watch TV  
We'll paint the house and wash the car,  
We'll take a walk but not too far,  
So quit your life, and stay with me…  
So quit your life…and stay with me…  
Stay with me…_" **(1)**

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

Riku woke up late the next afternoon, moaning groggily and instantly noticing the searing pain throbbing through his skull and burning his eyes and face. "Axel?" he asked shakily, a wave of nausea passing through him. His boyfriend heard him from downstairs where he and Reno were eating lunch, the younger red-head jumping up and racing up the stairs, peeking his head into the bedroom before walking over to Riku's side.

"Hey Riku, you finally awake?"

Riku shook his head moving to cover his mouth with his hand, "I think I'm going to be sick…"

Axel helped the other boy sit up, offering him a couple of pills and a glass of water from the nightstand. "Shit, I'm sorry babe. Your dose was due a few hours ago, I just didn't want to wake you up…"

Riku took the pills, finishing off the glass of water and shaking his head tentatively. "No, it's alright. I'll be fine…"

Axel watched him worriedly, sensing the pain his boyfriend was feeling, taking his hand and allowing the younger boy to squeeze his fingers tightly. "I'll wake you up from now on, okay? Just don't be mad at me when I do…"

"I could never be mad at you," Riku said softly, the pain killers kicking in almost instantly, his nausea replaced with fatigue. "Will you stay with me for a little while?"

"Of course." Axel said, crawling onto the bed beside the pale blonde, laying down so that Riku could rest his head back against his shoulder. He rubbed the younger boy's shoulders gently, Riku sighing as the medicine slowly put him to sleep once more. Axel lay there with him long after he fell back asleep, singing to him softly and petting his hair.

-x-x-x-

Riku woke up again later that night, but not due to any kind of pain. Axel shook him awake gently, the blind boy rousing from his chemical-induced sleep. "Hey babe, time to take another pill, okay?"

The younger boy murmured and took the pill Axel pressed into his palm, lifting himself up a bit with Axel's help and drinking a bit of water. "Thank you, Ax…"

"Do you want anything to eat?" the older boy asked gently. "I could make you some soup? Or a sandwich?"

Riku shook his head, "I'm alright. Just want to sleep…"

Axel nodded, leaning down and pressing a gentle kiss to the other boy's lips. "Alright, go back to sleep, babe. I'll see you in the morning."

-x-x-x-

The next day Riku woke up before Axel came to give him another dose, not from pain, but from hunger. His stomach growled loudly, demanding attention before he went back to sleep. Riku sighed, pushing up from the bed only to find that his muscles were rendered useless under the influence of the pain killers. Dizzily he called for Axel, the boy at his side a moment later. "Hey babe, did I wait too long again? I'm sorry…"

"No, it's not that." Riku said softly, his stomach growling again. "Could I have that sandwich now?"

Axel rushed off downstairs to the kitchen to make him something, Riku listening to his footsteps as he walked through the house. He could hear something else coming from the music room, familiar voices. It was Marluxia, and Larxene. They must be rehearsing for the concert… When Axel returned a few minutes later, Riku asked him about it. The red-head laughed softly, saying, "Well, I didn't want to leave you, and I practically have a studio in my house, so they decided to come over and practice."

"I'm sorry…" Riku said as Axel helped him sit up, lying back against a large fluffy pillow and taking a bite out of the sandwich the red-head offered him. "I feel like I'm burdening you…"

"Don't be ridiculous!" Axel scoffed, rubbing Riku's leg affectionately. "I wouldn't be anywhere else in the world right now except with you. You should know that by now!"

Riku grinned around his sandwich, chewing thoughtfully. He was still half under the influence of the pain killers, and he wasn't hurting quite yet, but he didn't really feel like sleeping any more. "Did Cait Sith give you the other pills he was talking about? The ones that won't make me sleepy?"

"Yeah, I got a bottle from him before we left." Axel said, turning towards the dresser and eyeing the two pill bottles. "Are you sure you won't be hurting if I give you the other ones?"

"I think I'll be okay, can I try them for now?" Riku asked, taking another bite of his sandwich before adding, "I'd like to hear you play some, if that's okay."

Axel chuckled, leaning in and kissing Riku's cheek. "You silly thing, of course it's okay. Eat your food and I'll be back for you in a minute okay?"

Riku nodded, listening to Axel walking off back towards the music room, chatting with his band mates for a moment, and then shuffling with something on the other side of the wall. Riku couldn't tell exactly what he was doing, but the older boy returned for him a couple of minutes later, Riku licking the remnants of his sandwich off of his fingers happily. "Thank you so much, Ax. I was starving."

"I'll go make you another one in a minute okay? But let's get you moved first." He helped Riku out of bed, hanging onto the younger boy's waist and helping him put on some sweatpants and a hoodie. Then they walked together slowly down the hallway and into the music room, Axel carefully helping Riku down the small steps and over to the couches on the far side of the room. He had made a small nest of pillows for his boyfriend to cuddle up in, Riku laughing softly when the older boy picked him up and placed him on the mound. "Alright, now get yourself situated, and I'll get you those pills and another sandwich."

"And a glass of Hawaiian punch?" Riku asked hopefully, Axel laughing as he walked off.

Marluxia and Larxene laughed softly, exchanging a knowing glance, Riku looking up towards the sound of their voices. Marluxia plucked at his bass, saying, "We heard you had your surgery, did they say how long before you can take off the bandages?"

"I'm not sure." Riku said, "I'm going in for a checkup after two weeks, then they'll decide from there."

Axel returned, handing Riku a glass and some pills, then once the boy was done he handed him the sandwich. "Alright, now let us know what you think! Don't hold back the critiquing, we need some sound advice."

Riku laughed, biting into his sandwich, Larxene asking, "Has he heard the one from this morning?"

Axel shook his head, "Nah, I haven't been playing much lately. Been dealing with a lot, you know?"

The blonde girl nodded then said, "We should play that one again. See what Riku thinks."

Marluxia grinned over at his friends, "I'm down with that. I like that one a lot. I'm thinking it should go in the _Play Me_ pile."

"What is it?" Riku asked, taking another bite, listening to the musicians tinker with their instruments and chat back and forth. Pouting after a moment of receiving no response, the pale blonde said with a whine, "Come on, Ax! You said I could listen to you play!"

Axel sighed, shaking his head with a smile across his face. "Alright, let's play it again."

Marluxia and Axel counted down together, then the two boys started playing together at once, Larxene mixing the melodies in the background. Axel closed his eyes, took a breath, and began to sing.

" _I watched the proverbial sunrise  
Coming up over the Pacific and  
You might think I'm losing my mind,  
But I will shy away from the specifics..._

" _Cuz I don't want you to know where I am,  
Cuz then you'll see my heart…  
In the saddest state it's ever been…  
This is no place to try and live my life!_

" _Stop right there! That's exactly where I lost it,  
See that line? Well I never should have crossed it!  
Stop right there! Well I never should have said that_

_It's the very moment that I  
_ _Wish that I could take back…"_

Marluxia started singing with him a moment later, the two boys harmonizing as they strummed their bass and guitar.

" _I'm sorry for the person I became.  
I'm sorry that it took so long for me to change.  
I'm ready to be sure I never become that way again,  
Cuz who I am hates who I've been.  
Who I am hates who I've been..._"

On the next verse Axel stopped singing, and Marluxia took over the vocals.

" _I talk to absolutely no one.  
Couldn't keep to myself enough,  
And the things bottled inside have finally begun  
To create so much pressure that I'll soon blow up…_

" _I heard the reverberating footsteps  
Synching up to the beating of my heart,  
And I was positive that unless I got myself together  
I would watch me fall apart!_"

Axel joined in again as Marluxia continued, Larxene matching their pace perfectly; the three band mates perfectly in sync.

" _And I can't let that happen again,  
Cuz then you'll see my heart  
In the saddest state it's ever been…  
This is no place to try and live my life…_

" _Stop right there! That's exactly where I lost it,  
See that line? Well I never should have crossed it!  
Stop right there! Well I never should have said that_

_It's the very moment that I  
_ _Wish that I could take back…"_

Riku listened with a smile on his face, taking another bite out of his sandwich. He really liked this one, it was really upbeat and catchy. He could easily imagine that _Chakram_ 's other fans would instantly love it too. His ears soaked in the sound, his heart beating a bit faster than it should have been as he heard Axel's voice again above the rest.

" _I'm sorry for the person I became.  
I'm sorry that it took so long for me to change.  
I'm ready to be sure I never become that way again,  
Cuz who I am hates who I've been.  
Who I am hates who I've been..._"

" _Who I am hates who I've been  
And who I am will take the second chance you gave me…_" **(2)**

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

Cloud laughed softly, Zack pinning him down to the bed playfully, the darker boy reaching up to tickle his boyfriend's sides again. "N-No! Zack! Stop it!" Cloud laughed, squirming underneath the older boy. "I take it back! I swear! You're not a house wife! You're just naturally good at baking things!"

"Liar! You're trying to make me the woman of the relationship!" he said, grinning widely and continuing to tickle the blonde boy.

"No! I swear! I could never even imagine you as the bottom! Honest!" Cloud managed to squirm away from Zack enough to catch his breath, looking over at the other boy with tears in the corners of his eyes from laughing so hard. "Jeeze! Do you have a complex or something? Because I need to know these things so I don't make jokes that get me tickle-attacked…"

The dark-headed boy chuckled softly, crawling over to Cloud and looking down at the boy with mischievous violet eyes. "No complex here, I just like to watch you writhe beneath me."

That instantly changed Cloud's disposition, a fierce blush highlighting his cheeks. Lately Zack had been talking to him more and more often in this manner, the older boy setting him on fire with his words. "Oh do you now?" Cloud asked, a bit more breathlessly than he would have liked. Zack seemed to notice, his eyes glinting as he leaned down and kissed the younger boy, expertly sliding their bodies together, Cloud moaning against his lips. His hands roamed Cloud's sides, igniting fire where he touched, sparks flying behind Cloud's eyes when the older boy moved to glide his fingertips across his chest and stomach, slowly undressing him. "Z-Zack…" he said softly, the older boy silencing him with a kiss and continuing his work, unzipping and pulling off Cloud's bondage pants, the thick dark material falling to the floor, the buckles and clasps clanging together from where his chains collided. Next was Cloud's shirt, Zack moving up the younger boy's body and stripping it off slowly, pulling the dark fabric over Cloud's head but leaving his arms twisted in the cloth, pulling back to look down at the boy with shining eyes.

Cloud blushed a shade deeper, twisting to try and cover himself, Zack reaching down and planting a palm on his hip, stilling him. "You're gorgeous Cloud, don't try to hide yourself from me. I want to see all of you." He leaned in, reconnecting their lips over and over, whispering between kisses, "I want to feel you, and taste you, and make you cry out in ecstasy…"

"Zack, I-I…" the blonde whispered in return, Zack kissing him again, taking Cloud's breath away, replacing his nervousness with a long pent-up desire waiting to be unleashed.

"Do you want this?" Zack asked, moving away from the boy just enough that Cloud could clear his head, his fingertips tracing along the other boy's side softly.

Cloud searched Zack's eyes, whispering shakily, "You know that I've never…"

"I know," Zack said softly, "I won't take advantage of you, love. But I do want to touch you."

Heart hammering inside his ribcage, Cloud nodded, "I…I want that too." Zack smiled gently, reconnecting their lips. He reached down, rubbing Cloud through the thin fabric of his boxers, the blonde gasping and twisting, trying to get his hands free. Somehow, not being able to do anything, being completely vulnerable to Zack…it made everything a bit more intense. _What is he going to do with me…?_ Cloud's mind reeled with the possibilities. He'd consented to anything the older boy wanted to do, and Zack knew he was a virgin. If things went that far, he was sure his boyfriend would be gentle with him, be he still wasn't sure if he was ready to go all the way… Zack pulled him away from his thoughts, fingers dipping beneath the waistline of his boxers and dancing across the tip of his arousal, Cloud shuddering and looking up at him with questioning eyes.

The older boy seemed to already know his question, smiling and dipping down to recapture his lips. "Can I taste you?" he asked, searching Cloud's eyes.

The blonde boy, flustered and aching with desire, nodded, pushing his hips up into Zack's waiting hand. "Please, Zack…" he whispered, the older boy's breath catching in his throat.

He hesitated a moment, gathering his composure, then began kissing across Cloud's jawline and down his neck, his eyes wandering to the mark he had left the night before Cloud had left to go to the hospital. It had faded a bit. That would never do. He latched onto the younger boy's neck, biting and sucking while moving his hand against his young lover, Cloud crying out and twisting his head to the side to allow Zack better access, the older boy biting him again and smearing precum down the underside of Cloud's length. He pulled away, pleased at the dark mark he'd created, his lips continuing their descent across Cloud's chest, licking at one of his nipples and causing the younger boy to gasp, then shudder pleasantly. He kissed down the blonde's abdomen, stroking him all the while, effectively turning Cloud into a hot, writing, desperate mess by the time his lips met the younger boy's hip bone.

"Nn! Zack, please…don't tease me…"

Zack looked up, his eyes flashing darkly. "What do you want, pet?"

Cloud blushed, chest heaving as he panted, his eyes hazy with lust. Any time Zack called him that, he knew that the older boy was really getting into whatever they were doing. Most of the time it was just kissing and petting through layers of clothing, but tonight was different. Tonight was more intense. Another shudder passed through the blonde boy, his heart twisting with nervousness. "I want you…want you to…" He bit his lips, almost too embarrassed to say it.

Violet eyes watched him, a soft expression across Zack's face. "Do you want me to stop?" he asked gently.

"N-No!" Cloud said, twisting his arms together, trying to free them from their entrapment. "I don't want you to stop, I want this. I do…"

Zack's eyes darkened a bit, that heavy, intense tone finding its way back into his voice. "Then tell me what you want, and I shall give it to you."

Cloud swallowed, pushing his nervousness away, focusing on the pleasure Zack was giving him, moving his hips into his hand unconsciously. "Ah… I want you to…"

"Nothing you say can be wrong, Cloud," Zack said softly, stroking him, coaxing the younger boy to play along. "You know how badly I want you. Tell me what I can do to you…"

Cloud gathered his courage, cheeks burning, and said hesitantly, "I want you…to suck me…"

A smile twisted Zack's lips, the dark-headed boy dipping down and kissing the curve of Cloud's waist, pausing his ministrations for just a moment so he could pull the blonde's underwear down his legs, tossing it to the floor. He returned to his position between Cloud's legs, the blonde boy blushing furiously and twisting his head away, closing his eyes and gasping at Zack's tongue darted out and met the underside of his cock, struggling against the sensation. It was almost too much for him to take, and Zack hadn't even begun.

Cloud's breathing was ragged, his whole body tensing at Zack's touch, the sensations overwhelming him bringing tears to the corners of his eyes. It was so intense, and hot, and felt so…so good… Zack lapped at the precum beaded at the head of Cloud's length before wrapping his lips around the younger boy's arousal, rubbing soothingly at the dip of his hip and keeping him relatively still. He wanted to make Cloud feel good, but he also wasn't a fan of being choked. And since this was something his boyfriend had never experienced before he wasn't sure how violently Cloud was going to react once he lost himself to pleasure. Zack shifted, taking Cloud a bit further into his mouth, sucking gently as he did so, cries of abandonment ripping from the younger boy's throat.

"Ah! Zack…" he twisted against the sheets, trying to free his hands. "Zack, please…"

The older boy obliged, sucking a bit harder, moving his tongue against Cloud's hot flesh and humming softly, creating a thrilling vibration that soared through the younger boy's body. Zack listened to his breathing, the way his voice hitched now and then as he moaned, quickly learning the pleasure points on Cloud's body. It wasn't long before the other boy was thrusting up into his mouth, Zack steadying him but allowing the blonde to move at the pace he liked. He lifted one of Cloud's legs, squeezing his thigh gently, coaxing him on. _That's it Cloud, just let yourself go_ …

Cloud twisted, panting and crying out, the muscles in his abdomen flexing sporadically as he fought against the overwhelming pleasure engulfing his mind. Everything was boiling down to the sensation of Zack's lips wrapped around him, the fire burning within him blazing into an inferno, his whole body tensing as he felt himself reach his limit.

"Zack! I'm going to…I… _aah!_ " White light blinded his vision, Cloud arching his back as he came, Zack holding his hips down and swallowing twice before pulling away, wiping his mouth and looking up at Cloud with a satisfied smirk. The blonde boy was panting heavily, his body trembling with the aftershock of his climax, Zack crawling up his body and kissing his neck before reaching up and freeing Cloud from his makeshift bonds. The younger boy instantly latched onto him, Zack holding him close, the younger boy's fingers clasping his shirt as he buried his face against his chest.

"You alright?" Zack asked gently, the other boy nodding against his chest. The darker boy chucked softly, then said, "There's no need to be embarrassed. You enjoyed yourself, didn't you?"

Cloud looked up at Zack, his blue eyes glistening. "Yes..."

Violet eyes looked down at him lovingly. "Good. I enjoyed myself too."

That seemed to draw Cloud's attention to the fact that Zack was fully dressed, and very aroused, his hardness pressing against the younger boy's leg through his jeans. Cloud hesitated, then reached down, rubbing against Zack tentatively. "I could…return the favor?"

"If that's what you want." Zack said, his voice slightly husky. The blonde nodded, unconsciously licking his lips. He wanted to make Zack feel the way he had just felt, and he was curious to see what the older boy tasted like.

Grinning like a fox, the blonde lifted himself up and pushed Zack down, planting himself on the older boy's chest. "Now I'm going to have my way with you. And you're going to enjoy every second of it."

The dark-headed boy chucked, his eyes flashing with desire. "Oh, I have no doubt."

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

Yuffie was dancing in front of the bright neon screen displaying the lyrics to the song she was singing to, shaking her butt so her skirt frilled around her legs.

" _With a taste of your lips, I'm on a ride  
You're toxic! I'm slipping under…  
With a taste of a poison paradise  
I'm addicted to you!  
Don't you know that you're toxic?  
And I love what you do…  
Don't you know that you're toxic?_" **(3)**

Reno cheered on his friend, clapping excitedly as she danced around the stage, Vincent rolling his eyes and smiling at his red-headed friend. Demyx was sitting across the table from them, but he wasn't really paying attention. He had been texting Zexion earlier, but the boy hadn't text him back since he discovered the dirty blonde was out on another date with Yuffie. He had said he wanted Demyx to have a good time with his girlfriend, and that had been the last text Demyx had gotten out of the other boy.

The dirty blonde frowned, his thoughts drowning out the pulsing music around him. Was Yuffie his girlfriend? When had that happened... The last thing he remembered was how happy he had been hanging out with Zexion, talking with Zexion, being with Zexion… And then suddenly Yuffie had decided that she liked Demyx as more than a friend, and everything had changed. But what did he want? Axel had asked him that once, and at the time he hadn't known how to answer. But now it seemed that the more time he spent with Yuffie, the more often he found himself thinking about Zexion…

This, of course, was the exact opposite of what Yuffie wanted. She finished her song with a flourish, Reno rushing up to take her place in front of the screen. "Me next! Tell them to put on _Pon de Replay_ **(4)**!"

Vincent nodded, uncrossing his arms and walking across the bar to the karaoke DJ, Reno squealing excitedly. Yuffie however didn't seem amused. She stood beside Reno, staring over at Demyx, watching the boy flipping through his text messages as if she wasn't even in the room. "What's his problem. I just don't get it…"

"What did you say, Yu-chan?" Reno asked, smiling down at his petite friend.

The girl didn't reply, she just walked down from the stage towards the table they had been sitting at, stomping as she stepped up to the boy who'd been ignoring her all night. Demyx looked up at her, blinking in surprise. Before he could say something, Yuffie spat out, "If you didn't want to come then you should have just said so! It's even worse with you being here if you're going to sit around and mope all night!"

Demyx opened his mouth to reply but then sighed and looked away. "I'm sorry."

Yuffie clenched her fists, glaring at the blonde boy. "Do you even like me? Or do you just agree to do whatever I say because you're too chicken to admit that you like boys instead of girls!"

The music came on at that exact moment, Reno starting to dance on the stage, several boys cheering from the crowd. Demyx, his face flushed crimson, stood up from the table and met eyes with Yuffie, saying softly, "I didn't ask for you to like me, you know."

The girl scoffed at him, gasping and trying to wrap her brain around the boy's response. Before she could begin to curse at him, Demyx turned and walked out of the bar, not bothering to look back. The cold night air hit him like a bucket of water as he exited the building, the dirty blonde walking angrily to his car, sliding into the driver's seat and slamming his door shut, staring at the steering wheel. He took several deep, calming breaths, then looked down at his phone. All he wanted to do was talk to Zexion. But he didn't know what to say. He never knew what to say around the other boy.

"Why is this so fucking complicated…" he murmured under his breath, closing his eyes and resting his forehead against the cool glass of his window. He sat there for a long time, looking up into the night sky, watching as snowflakes began to slowly descend upon the city, covering everything in a thin veil of white.

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

Roxas' mother was busying herself around the house, putting the last touches on her makeup and putting on her earrings as she walked to her son's room. Roxas was there, lying down with Sora at his side. The two boys were watching a movie together, the younger boy wrapped up in her son's embrace. She pursed her lips, trying not to smile, and cleared her throat. The brunette jolted away from Roxas, his hands clenching the hem of his shirt nervously, looking up at her with an embarrassed blush.

"I'm fixing to leave for my party. Do you boys need anything while I'm out?"

Roxas looked up at his mother with a slightly irritated expression, but when seeing her face he let his mouth twist into a grin. "No mother, we're fine. Thank you though. Enjoy your party."

She nodded, making a soft sound of acknowledgement, then turned to leave, her heels clicking down the hallway as she went.

Sora, his heart pounding, listened to the sound of her keys locking the door behind her, letting out a sigh of relief one he was sure she was gone. "That woman scares me…"

Roxas smiled over at his boyfriend wirily. "You realize she doesn't give a damn, right?"

The brunette fidgeted, looking over at the blonde. "I…I know, but still…"

The older boy wrapped his arm around the younger boy's shoulders again, pulling him close. "She's caught us kissing enough times to know what type of relationship we're in. If she had a problem with it you would have heard about it. Trust me."

Sora pouted slightly, but settled back against his boyfriend, a small smile on his face.

-x-x-x-

Zack curled up behind Cloud, pressing against his sleeping boyfriend, their naked bodies intertwined under the sheets. He was in love with Cloud, he was sure of it. The blonde had healed his heart, and set him on fire; he felt complete when he was with the younger boy. He hesitated, then leaned in and kissed the back of the other boy's neck, inhaling his scent, and pulling him back against his chest. He didn't realize it, but his movements woke Cloud from his slumber, the younger boy quickly settling back down in Zack's arms.

Zack rested his forehead against Cloud's shoulder for a moment, then whispered softly, "I think you've managed to make me fall in love again. You little brat."

Cloud's heart sped up, soaking in the unrefined love confession, suddenly aware that the older boy had no idea he was awake. He lay there, unsure of what he should do, but Zack said nothing else; holding him close and falling asleep. The younger boy lay there, unable to still his racing mind. Zack was…in love with him? Cloud smiled, an overwhelming happiness churning in his heart, a smile twisting his lips. He knew why he was so excited. He was in love with Zack too. He only wondered how long it would take before the older boy would tell him his heart's confessions when he knew the blonde was awake.

-x-x-x-

Riku's sleep schedule was off from his pain medication, so he and Axel were still awake, curled up together on the couch downstairs, listening to music while Axel worked on some lyrics for a new song. Riku sipped at his hot cocoa, sighing contentedly against his lover. "Are you making any progress?" he asked, the red-head looking down at him with a soft smile.

"Yeah, I think so. I guess we'll just have to wait and see."

Riku smiled up at him, leaning towards Axel's voice. "Will you sing for me again?"

"Again, huh?" Axel teased, "You're trying to make me lose my voice before the concert, aren't you? That way you can keep me all to yourself."

The younger boy giggled, saying in a mock serious voice, "As soon as I can see I'm making you a golden cage, my little lark!"

Axel smiled, setting down the notebook he had been writing on, pulling Riku close, and tapping his pen against the couch as he began to softly sing.

" _Hope dangles on a string  
Like slow spinning redemption,  
Winding in and winding out  
The shine of it has caught my eye…  
And roped me in so mesmerizing, so hypnotizing  
I am captivated, I am…_

" _Vindicated…  
I am selfish, I am wrong, I am right,  
I swear I'm right, I swear I knew it all along…  
And I am flawed, but I am cleaning up so well,  
I am seeing in me now the things you swore you saw yourself…_" **(5)**

Riku sipped at his cocoa, listening with a smile. When Axel's voice trailed off, the younger boy asked curiously, "Have you written the guitar to that one yet?"

Axel shook his head, saying, "I haven't gotten around to it yet. I'm a bit behind, actually…"

The blind boy thought to himself for a moment, then offered, "I could help you write the music to it if you wanted…" He traced the rim of the mug he was holding with his thumb. "I mean, I'm not sure if I would be any good at it..."

"That's a great idea!" Axel said, startling Riku with his excitement. The blind boy laughed softly as the older boy leaned down and kissed his forehead, then his cheek, before reaching up and tracing the outline of his jaw, connecting their lips gently. "What would I do without you?"

Riku smiled, the older boy kissing him again before he could reply with a clever answer, laughing happily against his boyfriend's lips. Maybe he would be able to help out Axel with something important, the way Axel had helped him with his sight. He would never be able to do something that matched in comparison, but as long as he could help a little bit, and make his lover smile, that was all that mattered to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1) Quit Your Life by MXPX. (I changed the names of the cities in the lyrics to match the story. The original lyric says "New York to Los Angeles".)
> 
> (2) Who I Am Hates Who I've Been by Relient K.
> 
> (3) Toxic by Britney Spears.
> 
> (4) This is referring to Pon de Replay by Rihanna.
> 
> (5) Vindicated by Dashboard Confessional.


	23. Waiting

Naminé busied herself around the kitchen, turning now and then to look over her shoulder at Riku and Axel, who were sitting together at the nearby table. "So, we're on schedule for this afternoon. Cloud and Zack are going to meet us for lunch before we head to the airport. I've promised mother I'll keep her posted on what the doctors say. You're bringing your pain pills for another refill, right?"

Riku looked up, following her voice. "Yeah, I think so. At least a refill of the non-drowsy ones; I'm still getting pretty bad headaches when they wear off."

Naminé nodded, wiping down the counter from where Axel had fixed them breakfast earlier, humming to herself excitedly. "Alright! Well then, why don't you boys go get ready! I'll finish cleaning up."

Axel nodded, rubbing Riku's shoulders and saying, "I think that's a good idea. You can take a shower if you want; I'll change your bandages again if you get them wet."

Riku smiled, reaching up and touching Axel's hand. "I'm sorry you have to keep doing that… I'm sure it's not the sexiest thing ever…"

The older boy grinned, "Just remember this for the next time I'm sick, and you have to take care of me while I get better! I'm not attractive when I have a cold, trust me."

Naminé giggled, shooing the boys out of the kitchen, Axel guiding Riku up the stairs to his bedroom. He turned away from the door, watching as the younger boy as he carefully stripped down to his boxers, Axel's green eyes dancing across his lithe frame. Riku seemed to be able to feel the eyes wandering his body, asking with a mischievous smile, "Are you enjoying the view?"

Axel bit his lip, walking over to the younger boy and wrapping his arms around him from behind. "And you think you're not sexy…"

Riku laughed softly then hesitated before saying, "Do you…want to take a shower with me?"

The red-head blinked in surprise, asking, "Are you serious?"

Riku, with a light pink blush across his cheeks, said shyly, "You could help me wash my hair? I don't want to get soap in my eyes…"

Axel, heart beating faster than it should have been, chuckled and replied, "Of course I'll help you with that…" He sighed, trying to calm his racing thoughts. He hadn't realized at first what Riku was talking about. Images of pressing the smaller boy back against the wall of the shower and ravaging him had flooded through his mind, sliding their wet, naked bodies together, kissing hotly…

"Ax?" Riku asked, noticing how hot his skin was. "Did I say something wrong?"

"N-No, of course not." Axel replied, hugging Riku close before taking his hand and leading him into the bathroom. "I just keep forgetting how innocent you are."

Riku pouted slightly, blushing a bit deeper as he followed after his boyfriend. He wasn't nearly as innocent as Axel thought he was. He listened to the other boy turn on the water, pulling back the curtain and reaching out towards Riku and brushing against his arm. The younger boy smiled at him, and then pushed his boxers off of his hips, feeling across the wall and stepping into the shower, allowing the warm torrent to wash down his back soothingly. He reached, back, pulling his hair into a half ponytail, trying to keep water from hitting his face directly as he wet his hair. Axel watched him, blushing furiously, trying to convince himself that he was in control of his emotions, and his hormones. He could do this. He could take a shower with his boyfriend without jumping his bones. At least, he was pretty sure he could…

Riku reached over, finding Axel's hand against the edge of the shower. "Are you coming in with me?" He asked, a soft smile on his lips.

Axel, his voice slightly husky, replied, "I don't know how much of a shower you'll be taking if I'm in there with you. The things I want to do to you, Riku…"

The blind boy flushed crimson, but tugged at Axel's arm. "I trust you, Axel. I know you won't do anything I don't want you to."

At that, the red-head raised an eyebrow at his young lover. "Are you saying you _want_ me to feel you up in the shower?"

Riku scoffed at him, swatting his arm. "Get your butt in here." He pulled his hand away, returning to running his hands through his hair, trying to keep his voice steady as he said, "And besides, you've already touched me…and you know how much I like it…"

Axel was sliding into the shower beside him a moment later, the older boy's fingertips tracing the outline of Riku's jaw. The younger boy reached out for him, his wet palms sliding across Axel's chest, feeling the older boy's heartbeat pounding through his skin. Riku blushed as Axel wrapped his arms around him and pulled him closer, kissing him gently as their bodies slid together in the most pleasant way. When the younger boy pulled back, panting softly, Axel said, "Alright then. Let's get your hair washed before the water gets cold."

Riku nodded, but didn't back away, tilting his head up slightly, Axel dipping back down and kissing him again. The longer they kissed the more they pressed together, Axel blushing when he felt his hardness pressing against Riku's hip, but the younger boy didn't seem to mind. He reached down, cupping the younger boy's ass gently and lifting him up ever-so-slightly so that Riku's arousal was pressed against his upper thigh, the older boy grinding their hips together gently. Riku moaned softly, panting against his lips, trembling slightly in Axel's embrace as the other boy's hands roamed his body. _Damn it_ … Axel thought to himself, cursing his inability to think clearly when he was around the younger boy. Riku tasted so good, and felt so soft, and warm, and…yeah. It was going to be one of those mornings.

-x-x-x-

Eventually, after making out for so long that the water was practically the temperature of ice, Axel managed to help Riku wash his hair, the two boys rinsing off and huddling together, their body heat slowly beginning to warm them. Axel was the first out of the shower, grabbing a towel for himself and another for Riku, handing the fluffy white cloth to his boyfriend and watching him as he quickly began to dry himself off, carefully patting down his face. His bandages were of course, soaking wet. Axel toweled himself off then wrapped his towel around his waist, reaching out for Riku. "Go sit on the bed, I'll be there in a sec."

The younger boy complied, wrapping the towel around his torso and waist before walking into the bedroom, sitting down on the edge of the bed. Axel gathered together the supplies Cait Sith had told him to use when redressing Riku's eyes, and a hairbrush, walking over to his boyfriend and offering him the brush. The blind boy held it in his lap, waiting patiently as Axel unwrapped the wet cloth from his eyes, careful to keep his eyes shut once the bandages were removed, reaching up and brushing out his long hair to help it dry. "How does it look today?" Riku asked, Axel looking over his boyfriend's face silently, his green eyes searching for any hint of infection or internal bleeding. Thankfully everything looked to be in order, Riku's skin was a fair pale color as it always was, and his scar, which had once been a stark contrast to his skin color, was now a pale, soft pink. His eyelids were a shade darker pink, but that was to be expected. There were tiny little stitches along Riku's cheeks and the corners of his eyes, then across the bridge of his nose where Dr. Red had removed his thick, corded scar tissue. From what Axel could tell Riku was recovering beautifully, but he wasn't an expert, which was why they were going in for Riku's two week checkup today. He wanted to make sure that what he thought he was seeing was really true. He wasn't taking any chances.

"It looks better than it did earlier this week, that's for sure. Most of the swelling is gone, and your stitches look like they're about to come out, just like the doctor said they would right about two weeks. I think they'll be able to take them out today."

Riku smiled happily, "That would be awesome…"

Axel redressed Riku's eyes methodically, careful to put the gauze pads over Riku's eyes before winding the longer bandage over his eyes and through his damp hair. After a few minutes the red-head pulled back and examined his work, asking, "Does that feel alright?"

Riku nodded, "It feels great, just like it always does." He reached over for Axel, his hands ghosting up the older boy's chest, then neck, his fingertips tracing the contours of his boyfriend's face. "I wonder, when I can see, if I will recognize you the way I do now. I'm so used to going off of my other senses; my sense of smell, hearing, and touch." He cupped Axel's face in his hands. "I wonder how much my other senses will fade once I have my sight back. I wonder how different I will be…"

"You'll still be my Riku." Axel said gently, pressing his hand against the back of Riku's, turning his head so he could kiss his palm. "And I will always love you, no matter what parts of you change. You're perfect to me."

Riku smiled, lifting himself up and kissing Axel, the older boy returning the kiss gently, wrapping his other hand around Riku's waist. "Thank you for loving me," Riku said softly, "I don't know what I did to deserve you, but I am so glad that we found one another."

Axel grinned, kissing his boyfriend once more before pulling away with a sigh. They had to get ready, or they were going to miss their lunch with Cloud and Zack, and the older blonde would be furious with them. "Alright then, what to wear…" He walked over to his closet before looking over his shoulder at Riku, who had turned over on the bed and was listening to his movements. "Do you have anything in particular you wanted me to get out for you?"

"Can I wear that new shirt you guys just made?" Riku asked, "The one for _Chakram_?"

"Sure!" Axel said, pulling out one of his band shirts and tossing it to Riku. "I'm glad you like wearing them. It's nice to see someone wearing our logo, even if it is only my boyfriend."

"Oh, _only your boyfriend_ , huh? I see how it is!" Riku said, sticking his tongue out at the other boy. "Well then, don't mind me when I wear _One Winged Angel_ 's merch instead!"

Axel laughed, saying, "That's not what I meant!"

"Mmm-hmm!"

"Aww, don't pout babe, I love you!"

"I'm _just_ the boyfriend; promoting your band, showing my support…"

"Damned brat…" Axel muttered, throwing a pair of boxers at Riku.

The pale blonde laughed, smiling over at his boyfriend fondly. "I love you too, Ax…"

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

They met Cloud and Zack for sushi, Naminé chatting excitedly about going on the plane-ride again. Cloud just shook his head, saying to his little sister, "I'm glad you find it enjoyable. Air travel is just not for me."

"Because you think a three hour plane ride is too long, and you would rather have to drive across the country instead?" Zack asked teasingly, Naminé laughing at the older boy.

"Cloud's always been like that!" the blonde girl said, shaking her finger at her older brother. "He hates being in-between places! He's fine sitting for hours upon hours reading his book if he's at the house or something, but if he's forced to read a book to pass time in the car…forget about it! You'll never hear the end of it!"

Zack chuckled, his boyfriend looking over at him with a glare. "Don't encourage her." He said, the dark headed boy patting his leg.

"But I have to encourage her, I'm the nice older brother, remember?"

"You'll not be related to her at all if you don't keep me happy!" Cloud retorted, crossing his arms and scowling up at the other boy.

"Hey you two, get a room!" Axel jeered from the other side of the table, Cloud shooting him a nasty look before his eyes turned to Riku, his mouth widening into an amused grin.

"Good lord, Axel. What have you been feeding him?"

Riku was fanning himself, tongue out, taking giant gulps of water between breaths. Axel rubbed the back of his head apologetically, then said, "I didn't know that he needed his wasabi watered down with soy sauce. I just gave it to him raw."

Cloud snorted, covering his face with his hand to stifle his laughter. Naminé giggled as well, saying to the red-head, "Go get him some milk! He can't stand wasabi!"

Axel arched his brow, turning to Riku, "I'm sorry babe…"

"Milk!" the younger boy protested, echoing his sister's statement. The red-head ran off to go flag down a waitress, the pale blonde taking another big gulp of water and sighing loudly. "Too hot…"

Naminé giggled, moving to sit next to Riku, inspecting the other sushi on his plate. "Did you tell Axel that you don't like squid?"

"No…" Riku pouted, continuing to fan himself.

The albino girl sighed, shaking her head. "You have to tell him these things you know! Have you two never been out to sushi before?"

Riku shook his head, "Sushi is your thing, remember?"

She giggled innocently, "Oh, I guess I should have been the one to warn him then. Sorry, Ri-kun!"

Her brother just shook his head, taking another drink of water, mumbling to himself that he was going to have to take a piss fifteen times on the plane after drinking this much water. Cloud and Zack watched and laughed together, their hands intertwined in Cloud's lap.

-x-x-x-

Eventually they finished lunch, Riku's tongue went from on fire to reasonably hot, and Axel went to get some froyo to make up for burning his boyfriend's tongue. They stood in the parking lot while Naminé and Axel went to go get some froyo, Riku, Cloud and Zack standing together near their cars. "So, little bro. How have you been?" the older blonde asked, rubbing Riku's head affectionately.

"Everything's great!" the blind boy said, "Axel said my eyes look like they're healing well, I'm helping him write some of his songs for the concert, and I heard that mom and dad said that they're finally going to be able to pay off Naminé's hospital bills…"

Cloud nodded. "Yeah, that's what mom told me too. I don't know how they're coming up with the money. Must have gotten a raise, or a bonus or something."

Riku grinned. "It must be nice having jobs that pay that well. I thought they had originally said it would be years before her bills would be taken care of. That's why I was so worried about all of this stuff for my eyes…"

Cloud reached out, cupping Riku's shoulder. "Well, it seems like everything is finally falling into place."

Zack watched the two brothers with a soft smile, his violet eyes soft. He was glad that Cloud was happy, and also excited to see that Riku was doing so well. Now that all of the chaos surrounding Naminé's accident and Riku's surgery had calmed down, maybe he would finally be able to talk to Cloud about something he had wanted to do for quite some time now… He only wondered if his boyfriend would be up to it.

-x-x-x-

The plane ride seemed to go quicker this time, and it wasn't as terrifying for Riku. One, because Naminé was there with him and she had an amazing way of making the time pass by chatting constantly, and two, because this time he wasn't afraid of going to see Dr. Red and Dr. Cait. He was actually looking forward to it. The siblings chatted for most of the plane ride while Axel wrote music, and they reached Preoria by mid-afternoon. They piled into the rental car, and drove across the city to the clinic, Naminé gasping excitedly and describing the glass walls and the vibrant garden surrounding the building as they pulled into the parking lot. "This is where you did your consultation? I didn't realize! I thought they did everything at the hospital where you had your surgery!"

Riku shook his head, "The hospital downtown is where Dr. Red does his procedures, but this is their actual office."

"Lovely…" Naminé said as they climbed out of the car, running over to the fountain and admiring the craftsmanship of the quartz.

Axel and Riku walked together hand in hand across the parking lot, the red-head humming the song he'd been working on during the plane ride over. Riku smiled, squeezing his boyfriend's hand, the older boy looking down at him. "Are you excited?"

Riku nodded, "I hope Cait says I can open my eyes today…"

Axel chuckled softly, saying, "Me too, babe. That would be pretty cool." He leaned in and kissed Riku's cheek, saying teasingly, "I just hope you still think I'm hot once you can actually see me."

Riku laughed, saying softly, "You're worried about you? I'm worried I won't like how _I_ look…" he squeezed Axel's hand tightly. "I mean, I haven't seen myself in years…"

Naminé walked over and took Riku's other hand, the three walking together through the glass doors to the clinic.

-x-x-x-

"Alright, now this might pinch a bit." Cait said, his voice light and soft. "Let me know if anything hurts, and I'll stop for a minute."

"Okay…" Riku said, Axel reaching over and taking the younger boy's hand, Naminé watching over Axel's shoulder curiously.

Dr. Red watched from the corner of the room as he had before while Cait Sith removed Riku's stitches, the younger doctor taking care to make sure their patient wasn't in any pain. As the stitches came out, Riku could feel the tension in his cheeks and eyes lessen a bit, the skin falling into place naturally once the little barbs were removed. "How does that feel?" Cait asked, feeling along Riku's cheeks gently, then across the bridge of his nose.

"I think it's okay." Riku said, feeling a headache coming on. "But my head is starting to hurt…"

The dark-headed boy turned to look at Axel, "How are his meds holding up?"

"He has about half a bottle of the stronger ones left, but he's pretty low on the non-drowsy ones." Axel said, removing the two bottles from his pocket. "He doesn't like sleeping all the time, but every now and then he'll take one to get through a migraine."

The younger doctor nodded, looking over his shoulder at Dr. Red. "Do you want to come take a look?"

The rusty red-headed man walked over to his companion, taking his place before Riku, checking his healing scars and the dips of his eye sockets, then his eyelids. "You haven't tried opening them on your own, have you?"

"No, I haven't…" Riku said, Axel nodding as well.

"We've been very careful. He hasn't opened his eyes, not once."

Dr. Red hesitated for a moment then said to Dr. Cait, "Turn down the lights, and we'll see if Riku's sight is starting to return yet."

Naminé clapped excitedly, Axel grinning and kissing Riku's hand, the younger boy smiling and asking excitedly, "Does that mean that I don't have to wear the bandages anymore?"

"We'll see," Dr. Red replied, taking Riku's face in his hands. Cait drew the curtains across the glass walls, blocking out the bright sunlight for the most part, then returned to his fellow doctor's side, watching the older man and Riku with a soft smile. "Now, very slowly, I want you to open your eyes. Don't open them all the way, just half-way or so. Let us know if you start to see anything."

Riku took a shaky breath, following the doctor's instructions. He opened his eyes ever-so-slightly, his irises immediately dilating from the small amount of light in the room, Riku picking up on different shades of grey and brown, his eyes drawn to the shadows of the room. "I can see different shades of darkness, almost like an outline of something. Like, a cabinet maybe? Over there in the far corner…" He moved his eyes slowly, noticing the outline of the doctor's hands against his face, thought his features were covered in shadow. "I can sort of see your hands? But everything is really dark."

Axel squeezed his hand gently, "That's great, babe."

Naminé giggled excitedly. "I'm so happy for you, Ri-kun!"

Riku opened his eyes just a little bit more, a thin ray of light coming in from one of the curtains instantly drawing his attention. He could tell that the curtains were a pale yellow color, there was some sort of embroidery in the fabric. Flowers, maybe? "The curtains are yellow I think, with little designs in them?"

Cait Sith nodded, Riku picking up on the movement and directing his gaze towards the shadow standing nearby, his eyes trying to pick out the details of the doctor's face. "That's right. Very good. Your color recognition seems to be intact."

The more Riku tried to focus, the more his head began to pound. Dr. Red could feel the tension in his cheeks, saying to Riku, "Do not push yourself, you have weeks to go before you'll truly be able to see without any pain. Until then you need to let your eyes rest as much as possible. When you start to feel pain, you need to stop, and try again the next day." He moved back from the boy, Riku nodding and sliding his eyes shut once more. He had seen something, even if it had been something small and insignificant. He could see things. And in a few weeks he would be able to see everything… Riku was crying before he knew it, Axel reaching over and hugging him gently, whispering comforts and kissing his forehead. Riku was happy, so very happy. And for the first time in years, as he cried, he felt no pain.

-x-x-x-

Cait showed Axel and Naminé how to do a light bandaging of Riku's eyes, giving the recovering boy a tube of salve to spread over his eyes and scars after his morning shower and before bed at night. "This will help you scars to fade. They look much better now, but if you're diligent with this ointment then the scars will fade even more. It will almost look as if you'd never had surgery at all."

Riku, who had never really been too worried about his looks before, took this to heart. He wanted to make sure that he was doing everything he possibly could to improve himself. After all, he had to look good for his rock star boyfriend. Axel, on the other hand, was already delighted with Riku's healing and the small bit of sight his boyfriend had experienced so far. He sang to Riku softly the entire flight home, Naminé listening and resting her head against her brother's shoulder, sketching in one of her notebooks. "So, you're going on tour before the concert?" she asked Axel, the red-head nodding to her, but continuing to sing. She smiled, saying, "I'll be sure to take care of Riku while you're gone. Isn't that right, brother?"

Riku smiled, reaching over until his hand met hers. "That's right, Nami. I'm sure you'll take great care of me."

The girl giggled, replying with a grin, "I can't wait until we can go shopping again! And you can help me do my hair and makeup like you used to when we were little!"

"Naminé! I was horrible at that!" Riku laughed, Axel leaning in and kissing his cheek, singing softly in his ear. The boy sighed contentedly, then said, "Well, I suppose I could give it a try…"

Axel chuckled softly between lyrics, tracing his fingers across Riku's palm and wrist, looking out the window to his left and staring out at the sunset, the clouds surrounding them drenched in baby pink and honey gold.

" _I hope that you see right through my walls,  
I hope that you catch me, cuz I'm already falling…  
I'll never let a love get so close,  
You put your arms around me and I'm home…  
_  
" _I tried my best to never let you in to see the truth  
And I've never opened up, I've never truly loved 'til you…  
You put your arms around me and I'm home…_" **(1)**

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

Axel left for the tour a few days later, promising Riku that he would call him every night before bed, and talk to him as much as he could during rehearsal. Riku, of course, had assured him that he would be fine without him for a couple of weeks. Naminé was perfectly capable of watching over him. The girl was getting to be close friends with Kairi, the magenta haired girl coming over to hang out more and more often, Tasogare and Kurei accompanying her on her visits. Riku liked her as well now that she was over her guilt trip about getting into an accident with Naminé. She was funny and perky, and reminded him a lot of Yuffie. Although she was just a tad bit less hyper. She was also into writing, and music, and art, just like Naminé. Kurei and Tasogare were both into photography, but were helping Kairi with her writing lately as she was trying to enter a contest. The prize was a sponsorship with a publishing house, something that normally wasn't offered to students their age. It was a great opportunity for Kairi, and for any other young writer out there. Tasogare suggested that Naminé write a story entry for the competition. The albino girl shook her head at the suggestion, saying softly that she wasn't sure anyone would want to read anything that she wrote. She was an artist more so than anything.

"Don't lie," her brother had said teasingly, "You're good at everything you do. And you're very creative."

Tasogare nodded in agreement, her mint curls bouncing on her shoulders. "Plus, if you get accepted into the publishing house, you could get sponsored to do things like art books or illustrations. People pay high dollar for good cover artwork to their novels. This would just be a way to get your foot in the door."

Kairi laughed, looking over at the petite blonde and saying softly, "Honestly, I don't think I have a chance of winning. There are a bunch of other girls entering the competition from my school that write much better than I do. But I like writing, so I'm entering in something anyway." She smiled at Naminé, her indigo eyes shining brightly. "You should try it, really. If you have the talent, they'll notice. Who knows what might happen? You'll never know unless you take a chance and try, right?"

Kurei and Tasogare exchanged a glance, the golden-eyed boy smiling over at his friend. "Well, I know something Naminé could write about."

The two younger girls looked up at Kurei, Tasogare getting up from the couch and walking to the other room, heading towards the kitchen. "What is it?" Kairi asked, her curiosity evident in her voice.

"You could write a rendition of _Alice in Wonderland_ , but from your own point of view instead. That would be interesting." Kurei grinned. "After all, you've had a bit of experience on the matter."

Riku gasped, saying, "Oh yeah, the dreams you had while you were in your coma! You could write about that! I bet no one else can say that their inspiration came to them while they were in a coma!"

Tasogare returned a moment later with a cup of hot tea, sipping at it gingerly. Naminé looked up at her with questioning eyes. "I don't know if that's something I should write about…"

The older girl shook her head, saying softly, "Nonsense. I'm sure it would be an excellent story."

Naminé looked away, thinking to herself for a moment, then looked back up at Tasogare. "Actually, there is something else I would like to write about. But I would need your help with it."

Tasogare returned to her place on the couch, looking over at the girl with soft lavender eyes. "Go on?"

Naminé looked down at the sketchpad in her hands, then said softly, "I would like to write about Shiloh, if that's alright."

Kairi blinked, looking over at Kurei and Tasogare. "You guys told her about Shiloh?"

Kurei, not sure what to say, looked up at Taso from where he was sitting on the floor, next to Riku and Naminé. The mint-haired girl took another sip of her tea, then looked over and met eyes with Naminé, asking softly, "What do you need to know?"

"I'd like to know everything." She said tentatively. "Anything that you're willing to tell me..."

Tasogare nodded, settling back against the cushions of the couch. "Alright; I'll tell you about the night by brother was killed."

Shiloh watched from the corner, his golden-red eyes shimmering in the dull light cast by the candles on the coffee table, his heart going out to his sister as she began to speak.

"When I was young, my mother was stricken by a terrible illness. She died in our house in the city. Grief stricken, my father moved us out into the country to a log cabin where he and mother had spent their early years together. There were happy memories there, memories by father longed to cling to. But the woods were wild and dangerous, and not a place to raise children, which is why my parents had decided to move into the city. My father, out of his mind with the loss of his wife, had seemingly forgotten that fact.

"There were bears in the woods, and mountain lions, but they kept their distance from the cabin. The pack of wolves that had claimed territory around the cabin, however, did not. One night, our father left to go hunting. It was snowing terribly, but we had run out of provisions, so he had to leave us and venture out into the storm. Shiloh was there to take care of me as always, the perfect older brother. But the wolves somehow seemed to sense we were alone and unprotected, and they slowly surrounded the cabin.

"My brother dressed me in warm clothes and had me put on my boots and coat. He lit several lanterns around the cabin, pacing back and forth nervously. I could tell something was wrong, but I wasn't sure what was happening. That's when the wolves attacked.

"The winter had been harsh, and it had undoubtedly been days if not weeks since the wolves had last eaten. The last bit of rabbit that father had cooked us for dinner was still wafting through the house and out into the night air. I'm sure that's what provoked them to try and get inside. They dug at the door, and growled at snapped their jaws, fighting one another in their frustration. Slowly but surely the door began to give, my older brother standing with a lantern in his hand, holding my small hand as I hid behind him. _It's alright_ , he had said to me, _I'll protect you._

"He turned to me and handed me the lantern, and told me that he was going to open the door, and I had to run into the forest and find father. I was not to look back until I found father, and returned home with him. _But what about you, brother!_ I had cried, _What if you get hurt?_

" _Everything will be fine, Taso,_ he said to me with a smile, _Go find father. I'll be waiting for you when you get back, okay_?

"I was crying, I could tell something was wrong, but I still couldn't wrap my mind around what was going on. _Shiloh, I'm scared…_

" _Don't be scared, I promise I'll be with you always._ He reached forward, grabbing a fire poker from beside the smoldering fireplace, then moved towards the door. The wolves broke in before he could react. He stabbed at one as it pounced into the cabin, looking over and me and screaming at me to run. I did what I was told, running out into the snow, tripping as I fled, not turning back as I ran into the woods, following our father's footprints. I ran and ran, my legs carrying me as fast as they could through the forest.

"Suddenly I stumbled onto a large, flat plain of snow-laden grass, gasping as I heard a gunshot ringing over my head. My father was there a moment later, Picking me up and wrapping his arms around me. _What are you doing out here, child! I could have shot you!_

" _The wolves! Shiloh is fighting the wolves!_ I cried, father putting me down and running off towards the cabin. I followed after him, the lantern shaking in my grasp as I ran to keep up. By the time we got back it was too late. The cabin was up in flames, and the wolves were everywhere, eating scraps of clothing, and huddling over something lying in the interior of the house. It took me several moments before I realized they were eating the corpse of my brother."

Naminé was listening, her hands over her mouth, crying silently. Riku was at her side, rubbing her back, whispering to her softly. "It's alright Naminé…"

"You never told me about all of this," Kairi said, looking up at Tasogare with tear-filled eyes. "You just said that he died while you were living out in the country. I thought that maybe he had accidentally drowned in the lake, or gotten sick…" She shuddered, shaking her head.

Kurei reached over and placed a hand on Taso's leg, noticing how his friend was shaking. He didn't say anything, but the girl looked down at him with sad violet eyes, smiling at him weakly. "My father couldn't save the cabin, it burned to the ground before our eyes. He did manage to shoot most of the wolves, but not before irreparable damage had been done. I remember walking up to the ashes of the house, past the limp body of a wolf, and reaching down through the snow for a small, brass key. It had been the key to the house, the one that had been lodged in the door when the wolves had burst into the cabin. I started crying, saying pitifully, _You said you would be waiting for me. You said that everything would be okay…_

"I could feel something tugging in the back of my mind, sniffing and turning to look at the wolf that was lying nearby. Its eyes were still open, the wolf's irises a bright golden, like Shiloh's had been, blood swirling within them as the creature bled out onto the frozen ground. Red and gold; life and death, blood and snow… I held the key to my chest, everything within me calling out to my brother, and then I felt his hands on my shoulders, and I heard him whisper to me, _You are not alone._ "

"You heard your brother speak to you?" Riku asked, listening intently. "Do you really think it was him? Or was it just your imagination."

Tasogare shook her head, saying softly, "I've heard him for years now. After father died I started to hear him more and more. Sometimes I could see him. Sometimes I could just sense he was there. Once I tried to seal him away, I hid away the key from the old house…but then Naminé fell into her coma…"

"Wait a minute," Kairi said, looking over at her cousin, "You mean all of that witchcraft and stuff that you used to be into, that stuff was real?"

Tasogare nodded, sipping at her tea again, Kairi looking over at Kurei in disbelief. The boy just shrugged. "I've seen enough to know that Tasogare's not lying. I'm not sure how it all works, but I believe what she says."

"So the dreams you told me about…?" Riku asked, tilting his head towards his sister's sniffling.

The petite blonde wiped her cheeks, sniffing and saying softly, "It was all real. Shiloh was there. He really did pull me out of chaos, and then showed me the way back home…"

Riku shuddered, thinking about the fact that his sister had been so far gone that a ghost had been able to contact her spirit while she was in her coma. "I'm so grateful…" he directed his words to Tasogare, looking up slightly, "If you really did help Naminé, if you and your brother brought her back to me and my family safely… Thank you. Thank you so much."

Tasogare smiled, a tear falling down her cheek to land in her teacup. "You're welcome, Riku."

Shiloh smiled, pressing his back against the wall of the shadowed corner where he was hiding, listening with a longing twisting his heart. He wanted to go to Naminé, he wanted to hold her, and comfort her, the same way he wanted to hold and comfort his sister. But he would never be able to do that, would he… He sighed silently, allowing himself to fade away into the darkness, leaving his sister and her friends to themselves for the remainder of the night.

-x-x-x-

After a long night, Riku lay down in his bed, stripping off his bandages and rubbing some of the ointment Cait Sith had given him across his nose, eyes, and cheeks. Naminé came in soon after, helping him re-bandage his face, then gave her brother a kiss on the cheek and said goodnight, walking off down the hall to her bedroom. The blind boy lay there for a while, thinking about everything that he'd found out about Naminé and her friends earlier, then allowed his thoughts to wander to Axel, a smile crossing his lips. He missed his boyfriend so much, he couldn't wait to hear his voice… His phone rang as if reacting to his thoughts, Riku laughing softly and bringing the phone to his ear, saying with a teasing tone, "It's about time…"

" _Hey! I was practicing!_ " Axel said, the older boy laughing through the phone. " _Cut me some slack, I'm working my butt off ya know…_ "

Riku giggled, saying in mock annoyance, "Alright, I'll let it slide this time."

Axel chuckled, asking sweetly, " _How's my boyfriend?_ "

"Missing you," Riku said, "But other than that I'm great. Heard some crazy stories tonight, Naminé's going to be joining a competition for a publishing house sponsorship and Tasogare was helping her out with the story."

" _Tasogare's got some pretty amazing stories, that's for sure_ ," Axel said, yawning before adding, " _I've heard her and Kurei talking sometimes. They're really into some unusual stuff. But to each their own, I suppose…_ "

Riku smiled, saying, "There are some that would say you're pretty unusual too you know; blind boyfriend, crazy rock star career, traveling all over the country on a tour bus…"

" _It's the same creepy driver!_ " Axel said, and Riku could tell he was cupping his mouth around the phone and trying to whisper. " _How could we have possibly gotten the same driver both times! There are dozens!_ "

Riku laughed, his cheeks hurting from smiling so much. "I love you, my crazy rock star."

" _I love you too, my little muse._ "

The younger boy smiled, asking, "Did the things I played for you the other night help at all?"

" _Yeah, they were great! Marluxia and Larxene really liked it too._ "

Riku smiled, "I'm glad…"

They talked back and forth for a little while, exchanging stories about their day, then eventually Riku fell asleep on the phone, Axel's voice carrying him off into pleasant dreams. The red-head stayed on the phone for a while after he knew Riku had fallen asleep, singing to him softly.

" _I'll show you mine if you show me yours first,  
Let's compare scars, I'll tell you whose is worse…  
Let's un-write these pages and replace them with our own words…_

_We live on front porches and swing life away,_   
_We get by just fine here on minimum wage…_   
_If love is a labor I'll slave till the end,_   
_I won't cross these streets until you hold my hand…_

_Until you hold my hand…_ " **(2)**

Axel put down his guitar, picking up the phone and taking it off of speaker phone, listening to his boyfriend's heavy breathing. "Goodnight Riku. I'll see you soon." He hesitated, making sure the younger boy was still asleep, then with a smile hung up the phone.

Riku heard the click, but didn't wake from slumber, he merely rolled over and clung to his pillow, whispering Axel's name as he dreamt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1) Arms by Christina Perri. (I think that this song would sound amazing if sung by a boy!)
> 
> (2) Swing Life Away by Rise Against.


	24. Xenogenous

Over the next few days Riku and Naminé experimented around with his sight. Sora and Roxas came over to visit, the bubbly brunette ecstatic to see his friend was healing so well, gasping excitedly as he watched Naminé change his bandages. "Oh wow, Riku! You look so much better! That's amazing…"

Roxas stepped up to take a look as well, his blue eyes flitting over Riku's face as Naminé applied the salve. "Yeah, not bad at all. Your doctors really knew what they were doing."

Before Naminé could wrap his face Riku cracked open his eyes, blinking at the sudden brightness. They were in Naminé's bedroom, sunlight pouring in from the windows beside her vanity. "Nami, can you close the curtains for a minute?"

"Sure!" she said, walking over and drawing them closed, Riku sighing in relief and looking around the shadowed room. His head was throbbing dully from the flash of bright light, but it wasn't getting any worse. "Does your head hurt? Remember, Dr. Red said not to push yourself…"

"I'm fine, Naminé," he said, cracking open his eyes just a bit more, looking up towards Sora and Roxas. He could make out the different shades of blue in the two boy's eyes, smiling as he recognized Sora's deep sapphire. "Your eyes are still the same…"

Sora grinned broadly, sitting down beside Riku and searching his eyes. "I think I can see the color coming back into your irises. You always had such intense blue-green eyes, like a mix between aquamarine and teal." The younger boy looked over at his boyfriend, laughter in his voice. "We always used to make fun of him, saying that his eyes were green, and he had stolen Naminé's blue. That's why her eyes are pink!"

The albino girl laughed softly, kneeling down beside her brother. Riku looked over at her, smiling at her softly. "I still can't quite see your eyes, Naminé. I'm sorry…"

The girl shook her head, saying, "Don't apologize! You're making progress! Just a few days ago you couldn't see anything but shades of grey!"

Riku smiled at her, nodding absently. "I hope I'll be able to see Axel, even for just a moment… I want to see him so badly…"

Naminé smiled, patting her brother's knee. "Just make sure you do it sometime after the concert when you're away from all of the giant flashing lights, okay? Don't give yourself a migraine and be miserable the entire night."

Riku grinned, saying with an exasperated sigh, "Yes, yes, I know. Thank you sister…"

She stood up, stretching for a moment before she walked over towards the windows, chiding as she went, "Now then! Let's get you bandaged up and grab our things! We've got a long drive ahead of us before we get to _Waev City_!"

-x-x-x-

Waev City was halfway between Dashilaw and Jepsin, and was right near the coast. It was famous for its beachside concerts and surf competitions. Riku could instantly taste the salt in the air, the warm sea breeze rushing through his hair as Naminé drove towards the concert, the windows down to let in the fresh night air. Sora and Roxas were sitting together in the backseat, the younger boy pointing excitedly at the lights along the edge of the ocean. "Ooo! I think I see it! Is that it, Naminé?"

"Yup! That's the Waev Amphitheatre!" the girl replied, changing lanes as they entered the city, turning onto a side street and heading towards the flashing lights on the beach. Directing her question to her brother, she asked, "Did Axel say where to meet him?"

"He said they were playing on the Sun Stage." The blind boy replied, running his hand through his billowing hair. "Apparently you can't miss it."

Axel was right, there was no way they could have missed the stage where _Chakram_ was playing; it had a huge backdrop of a rising sun, shimmering flakes of gold making the stage glitter as the backdrop fluttered lightly in the wind. There were hundreds of people gathered between several stages, different bands playing at different times on alternating stages. _Chakram_ was headlining, and they had chosen their friends in _Saberflight_ to open for them. _One Winged Angel_ was said to be showing up at some point, along with _Heartless_ , and _Spectrum_. There were also some newer bands showing up, bands that were pretty much unheard of for the most part. As Naminé guided Riku towards the edge of the crowd, the blind boy could hear one of them playing somewhere in the distance, a sound he had never heard before. They were good, but not as good as his boyfriend's band.

He smiled, his heart bubbling with excitement. It had only been a week or so since he'd seen Axel, but each day he was away from the other boy seemed like a small eternity. Naminé and Riku made their way to the side entrance of the sun stage, the body guard letting them pass after they explained who they were, handing each of them a VIP pass. Apparently Axel had told him to keep an eye out for his friends and boyfriend. Sora and Roxas followed after them backstage, Roxas commenting on the band setting up across from them at another stage with a bright blue backdrop. "Look, I think that's _Heartless._ "

"Oh wow, I think you're right!" Sora said, grinning. "I like them! Can we go listen to them before _Chakram_ starts?"

"Hey! Don't be rooting for the competition!" Marluxia said, walking towards them from the back stage, his hair a freshly dyed bright shade of pink.

Naminé laughed, covering her mouth with her hand. "Oh my gosh, Marl! Your hair!"

"I know, right? Larxene did it." The boy laughed, beckoning for them to follow. "Axel's putting the final touches on one of our songs. He's in the back with Larx."

Naminé pulled Riku along, her brother smiling and following after her, Sora following quickly behind. Roxas turned to look back at the blue stage one more time then followed after his boyfriend, grinning at the younger boy's excitement. This was a pretty big event, way bigger than the concert they'd been to in Dashilaw. He'd have to make sure that the small brunette had a good time; there was no telling when they would be able to do something like this again. They had VIP passes, which meant exclusive access to all the stages. They could talk to any of the other bands and stay for as long as they like. It was awesome having rock stars as friends.

As the new arrivals reached the expansive backstage, Axel looked up from his guitar, smiling uncontrollably and setting his instrument to the side, walking over to Riku and pulling the younger boy into his embrace. "Hey babe!" Riku laughed, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend's neck, gasping lightly when their lips connected in a sudden kiss. "I missed you."

"I missed you too, Ax…" Riku said, blushing lightly.

"You ready for your big night?" Roxas asked, the red-head looking over at the other boy with a wide grin and nodding.

"You bet! Totally psyched…" His green eyes glistened in the dim lighting. "Got sweaty palms and everything! The pressure's intense."

Sora smiled, saying enthusiastically, "You guys have the coolest gig ever! And your stage is awesome! Even better than _Heartless_ '!"

"I dunno," Axel said, rubbing the back of his head, "The Aqua Stage is pretty popular. Lots of people have gathered to watch them. They just came out with a new album about a month ago."

"Luckily we won't have to worry about fighting for the crowd's attention," Larxene said, the girl cracking her knuckles and returning to twisting various knobs on her synthesizer. "We're not quite prepared for a battle of the bands, but we can hold our own in the spotlight."

Marluxia nodded, thumbing his bass. "True facts."

Axel chuckled, looking over at his band mates. "You guys almost ready to start the setup?"

Larxene nodded, stretching for a moment before going off to fetch the stage tech crew, Marluxia watching her go with a fond smile. He looked over at Axel a moment later, asking, "You think she's cool with the lineup?"

"Yeah, I think so, what about you?" the other boy asked, "You down with the layout?"

The pink-haired boy grinned. "Oh, I am so down. You sure you're good with me singing the last song?"

Axel laughed, reaching over and patting his friend's shoulder. "Of course, man! I'd say Larxene could sing too, but she'll take over the whole damn show…"

"I heard that." The blonde girl said as she walked back over to them, several boys following after her and beginning to move their equipment towards the front of the stage. "I'll leave the singing you two you, you're far prettier anyway. The girls will love it."

Marluxia, flipping his hot pink hair over his shoulder, replied mockingly, "Why thank you, Little Miss Thing! Give my complements to the stylist!"

The girl rolled her eyes at him, grabbing his arm and dragging him towards the front. "Come on; let's show them where to put everything…"

"Yes ma'am…" Marl droned, following dutifully after her.

Naminé giggled, stepping up to her brother's side and looking up at Axel, asking, "Are you going to show us around before you start?"

"Yeah!" Axel said excitedly, "Let's go see the other stages. I'll tell you who's playing where."

" _Heartless_ is across from us!" Sora said excitedly, the red-head nodding at him with a smile.

"That's right, and _Spectrum_ is here too. They're on the Lunar Stage near the beach. The girls from _Saberflight_ should be here soon too, we're sharing the Sun Stage. They were practicing at the studio downtown, but last I heard they were heading this way."

"Awesome! That means pretty much everyone is going to be here then, right?" Roxas laughed as Sora took his hand and rushed him back towards the side entrance and out into the open crowd. The blonde called over his shoulder, "Do we know where we're meeting everyone?"

"Hopefully here once we start playing!" Axel replied with a laugh, Riku squeezing his hand. The older boy looked down at him with a soft smile. "How you holding up? Is the crowd bothering you?"

Riku shook his head, "Not at all. I'm just happy to be here with you. I'm excited to hear you play."

Axel grinned from ear to ear, leaning in for another kiss. Then he said softly, "You'd forgive me later if I embarrassed you, right?"

Riku would have blinked, but his eyes were bandaged shut, making it impossible to do so. "Of course I would!" He tilted his head towards his boyfriend and added with a small laugh, "Though I doubt you'll be able to successfully embarrass me. You forget who my siblings are."

"That is true…" the older boy replied, images of Cloud harassing Riku as a child instantly filling his thoughts. He chuckled softly, and then stepped forward, pulling Riku gently behind him. This was the night. The night that would change everything for them, forever. He only hoped that Riku would be alright with everything in the end. He had his fingers crossed.

-x-x-x-

"Alright, who can guess which band is playing here?" Axel asked, pointing towards the large stage to their left. It was decked out like a volcano, red lights flashing across the stage, their backdrop a large lava-like design.

"Give me my choices again?" Sora said, furrowing his brow as he tried to remember them all. " _Whirlwind_ **(1)** is the new band from Hishimo. Then there's _Five Alarm Curry_ **(2)** from Jepsin, and _Multicolored White_ **(3)** from that town to the east. What's it called again?"

The red-head laughed, Riku pressed pleasantly against his side. "Honestly I don't even think I'm pronouncing the name of it right. I know that they're an all-girl band though, like _Saberflight_. The girls are going to have some serious competitors tonight."

"Well, out of all of those, I'd say that _Five Alarm Curry_ is the most lava-like." Roxas said, his boyfriend looking up at him with a pout.

"I was going to say that!" Sora said, Naminé laughing at the brunette beside her.

Axel nodded to his friends, replying, "You would be correct, sirs! They're pretty good too. You should definitely wait around and listen to at least one of their songs."

Sora turned, looking around. There was a band playing nearby on a rainforest themed stage, the brunette pointing at it excitedly. "I know that band! That's _Kung-Fu Kitties_ **(4)**!"

Roxas followed after his boyfriend as Sora ran over to the shimmering green stage, dragging Naminé with him, the girl giggling at her friend's excitement. Axel and Riku followed after them, the blind boy walking carefully behind Axel as they weaved through the crowd. "So there are how many stages then? Sun, Lava, Aqua, Lunar…"

"And this is the Jungle Stage, which makes the fifth and final stage." He looked around the Amphitheatre, his green eyes flitting across the different stages. "If I were to guess, _One Winged Angel_ is going to be sharing the Lunar Stage with _Spectrum_. Then of course we're on the Sun Stage with _Saberflight_ , _Whirlwind_ will be sharing the Jungle Stage with _Kung-Fu_ _Kitties_ , _Multicolored White_ and _Heartless_ are on the Aqua Stage, leaving _Five Alarm Curry_ and the surprise band on the Lava Stage."

"You mean _One Winged Angel_ isn't the surprise band?" Riku asked, his surprise evident in his tone.

"Apparently they're sort of expected to show up." Axel said, shrugging. "This other band is newer, like us. I'm not sure what their name is either. But I know there's supposed to be ten bands playing, two on each stage."

"Well, whoever shows up, I'm sure _Chakram_ will rock the hardest!" Riku said, Axel laughing at him and squeezing his hand, his thumb rubbing the back of his boyfriend's hand gently.

"I hope you're not the only one who shares that sentiment…"

-x-x-x-

 _Kung-Fu Kitties_ played first. Their lead singers were a pair of fraternal twins, Misa and Kai. They were petite and energetic, and very punk rock. Sora deemed them his second favorite, the first, of course, being _Chakram_. They were followed soon after by _Whirlwind_ , whose sound was a bit more alternative, but still very upbeat. Roxas liked them a lot. The spotlight changed to the Aqua stage soon after, _Multicolored White_ opening for _Heartless._ Axel had to leave to go get ready once the two bands swapped positions and _Heartless_ stepped out onto the bright blue stage, hundreds of screaming fans calling their name. Riku stayed with Naminé, Sora, and Roxas, kissing Axel before he left, wishing him luck. _Heartless_ played for quite some time, then as they bowed out _Saberflight_ took over the spotlight on the Sun Stage, Tifa stepping up to the microphone with a smile.

"Hey guys! We're an all-girl band from Dashilaw called _Saberflight_! Thanks so much for coming out to hear us tonight!"

Several girls cheered for them, Yuna stepping up beside Tifa, lifting her violin to the crook of her neck and poising her bow above the strings, beginning to play after a moment of silence. Then suddenly, Rikku joined in on the drums, and Paine began wailing on her electric guitar, the crowd going wild. Naminé smiled, leaning in and saying in Riku's ear, "They sound great!"

"Yeah! They do!" Riku replied, smiling. He hadn't heard the girls play since they'd had their fight after Rikku and Paine came out as a couple. Obviously they had mended their friendship. Their sound was stronger than ever. Sora and Roxas suddenly disappeared into the crowd, reappearing a moment later with Yuffie, Demyx, Zexion, Kairi, Tasogare, and Kurei in tow.

"We found them!" Sora shouted above the music, Yuffie squealing excitedly and hugging her friends.

"Now all we have to do is find Reno and the others and we'll be set!" the dark-haired girl cheered, pumping her fist in the air and turning to listen to _Saberflight_ as Tifa began to sing.

" _It's four a.m.; you call to spit some fire out!  
But did you think that I would listen to you now?  
It's nothing new, so get in line with all the rest,  
And I will wait till you realize you're out of breath…_

" _Can you hear the crowd? They all go wild!  
For you and your denial…  
They're watching you break down…  
Hate me all you want, I'll be okay,  
I'm half the world away!  
I'm letting you go now…"_

Yuna began to play again, dancing across the stage as her violin resonated above the cheering crowd. Rikku and Paine echoed after Tifa as the girl began to sing again.

" _You've got sadness twisted up with jealousy,  
You show your fists to make them look like loyalty…  
And I have seen what holding on can take away,  
If it's the past you love then that's where you can stay!_

" _Can you hear the crowd? They all go wild!  
For you and your denial…  
They're watching you break down…  
Hate me all you want, I'll be okay,  
I'm half the world away!  
I'm letting you go now…_"

Yuna took a moment to play by herself, her skirt spinning around her legs as she pranced around the stage. Then, after a moment of silence, the other girls joined in.

" _Desperation kills…  
But when it's on your sleeve you wear it well!  
Underneath it all you'll always have this war inside yourself…_"

" _I'm letting you go now!  
Can you hear the crowd? They all go wild!  
For you and your denial…  
They're watching you break down…  
Hate me all you want, I'll be okay,  
I'm half the world away!  
I'm letting you go now…  
_ _Go now…_ " **(5)**

The crowd cheered for them as the girls took a bow, then began playing another song. This one was a bit softer, so those gathered together in the crowd could converse a bit. "Have you seen any of the others?" Tasogare asked, Naminé looking over at her.

"Not yet! Who all is supposed to be here?"

The mint haired girl put her finger to her chin, "Well, from what I heard, everyone. There's going to be a huge after-party and everyone was supposed to show!"

Demyx was flipping through his text messages on his phone, then looked up, saying to Zexion, "Tidus is here with Wakka and Selphie. They said that Leon and Aerith are supposed to meet them soon. They're rushing to get here before _Chakram_ starts playing."

Zexion shook his head, rolling his eyes and smiling. "You'd think someone was getting married, what with all the fuss…" Immediately every girl in the group looked over and glared at him, Naminé lifting a finger to her lips. The silver-haired boy quickly recovered, saying, "But then again, I guess this is Axel's big debut. I suppose he's worth all the fuss.

Riku, of course, was completely oblivious, having not seen the stern looks from his sister, Tasogare, Yuffie, and Kairi. Zexion however felt as if he were on fire, Demyx snickering behind his hand to muffle his laughter. Luckily, _Saberflight_ began playing another song at that exact moment, the bass drowning out their words before Riku could even begin to think about what Zexion had just said. He was much too busy thinking about Axel to contemplate the hidden meaning in the other boy's words.

-x-x-x-

Somehow or another, as _Chakram_ prepared to take the stage, everyone managed to find one another, the group of friends huddling together and pushing towards the front of the stage, so close they could reach out and touched the golden-yellow wood. Reno and Yuffie were dancing excitedly, Cloud and Zack hanging back with Vincent and the other older crowd, saying hello to Leon and Aerith, and reacquainting themselves with Tidus, Selphie, and Wakka. The younger half of the group was quickly beginning to spread a cheer, the crowd quickly catching on, "We want fire crotch! _We want fire crotch_!"

Axel appeared a moment later, shaking his head and laughing into his headset, pointing threateningly at the front row, aiming his guitar at Yuffie. "Alright you little brats! Shut up and let me sing!"

The crowd cracked up, Yuffie waving excitedly at Axel, Riku laughing uncontrollably onto his sister's shoulder. " _Hahaha_! I'm never going to let him hear the end of this!"

The albino girl laughed as well, hugging her brother's waist. When Larxene and Marluxia walked onto the stage as well, they all started clapping and cheering, the older boys whooping excitedly for their younger friends. Larx took her place behind her synthesizer, Marl taking his place to the side of the stage, allowing Axel to rule the center. The red-headed boy laughed for another minute, then said to the crowd, "For those of you who don't know us, we're _Chakram_!" Several screaming fans echoed out across the beach, Riku surprised at how many people actually responded to Axel's words. "And for those of you who are curious," Axel added with a grin, "This is my natural hair color." He looked over at Marluxia, moving his hand back and forth before his throat, the other boy rolling his eyes at him and placing a hand on his hip. After the crowd's laughter died down, the singer said, "I hope you guys are having a good night! Thank you for coming out! We love you guys!"

As the crowd cheered again, the boys began to play, Riku's heart speeding up as he recognized the song they were playing. He turned towards Naminé, tugging on her arm, "This is the song that I helped Axel write!"

"Awesome!" the girl replied with a knowing smile, happiness bubbling inside her as she watched her brother's face. He had no idea what Axel had in store for him. It was going to be great.

" _Breathe in for luck, breathe in so deep,  
This air is blessed, you share with me…  
This night is wild, so calm and dull,  
These hearts they race, from self-control.  
Your legs are smooth as they graze mine,  
We're doing fine; we're doing nothing at all…_

" _My hopes are so high that your kiss might kill me!  
So won't you kill me, so I die happy?  
My heart is yours to fill or burst,  
To break or bury, or wear as jewelry,  
Which ever you prefer…_

" _The words are hushed; let's not get busted,  
Just lay entwined here, undiscovered…  
Safe in here from all the stupid questions.  
"Hey did you get some?"  
Man, that is so dumb…  
Stay quiet, stay near, stay close they can't hear...  
So we can get some!_

" _My hopes are so high that your kiss might kill me!  
So won't you kill me, so I die happy?  
My heart is yours to fill or burst,  
To break or bury, or wear as jewelry,  
Which ever you prefer…_"

Riku beamed, his ears soaking in every word, every strum of guitar. His song that he had helped Axel with. It sounded amazing! They'd really done it!

" _Hands down this is the best day I can ever remember,  
I'll always remember…_

_"The sound of the stereo, the dim of the soft lights,  
The scent of your hair that you twirled in your fingers…  
And the time on the clock when we realized it's so late,  
And this walk that we shared together!  
The streets were wet, and the gate was locked,_

_"So I jumped it, and I let you in…  
And you stood at your door with your hands on my waist,  
And you kissed me like you meant it…  
And I knew…that you meant it,  
That you meant it, that you meant it,  
And I knew…that you meant it,  
That you meant it…_" **(6)**

The crowd cheered wildly, louder and louder until Axel laughed and nodded at Marluxia, then Larxene, the girl beginning to play something on her instrument that quickly quieted down the crowd…until they recognized what it was, then they started cheering again gleefully.

"Hey! I know this one!" Reno said, cheering at his brother. "Axel's been working on this one for ages!"

"Yeah, I think I've heard this one before too!" Yuffie agreed, jumping excitedly and cheering at the top of her lungs, "Sing it, Axel! Whoo-hoo!"

" _Sit tight, I'm gonna need you to keep time,  
Come on just snap, snap, snap your fingers for me…  
Good, good now we're making some progress,  
Come on just tap, tap, tap your toes to the beat…  
And I believe this may call for a proper introduction,  
And well don't you see, I'm the narrator and this is just the prologue…_

" _Swear to shake it up if you swear to listen!  
Oh, we're still so young and desperate for attention…  
I aim to be your eyes, trophy boys, trophy wives…_

" _Applause! Applause! No wait, wait…  
Dear studio audience I've an announcement to make:  
It seems the artists these days are not who you think,  
So we'll pick back up on that on another page…  
And I believe this may call for a proper introduction,  
And well don't you see, I'm the narrator and this is just the prologue…_

 _"Swear to shake it up if you swear to listen!  
Oh, we're still so young and desperate for attention…  
I aim to be your eyes, trophy boys, trophy wives…_"

At this point there were several people in the crowd that were singing along with the lyrics, echoing after Axel as he sang;

" _Swear to shake it up, you swear to listen?  
_ _Swear to shake it up, you swear to listen!  
_ _Swear to shake it up, you swear to listen?_

_"Swear to shake it up...  
Swear to shake it up!_

_"Swear to shake it up if you swear to listen!  
Oh, we're still so young and desperate for attention…  
I aim to be your eyes, trophy boys, trophy wives…_  
 _Swear to shake it up if you swear to listen!  
Oh, we're still so young and desperate for attention…  
I aim to be…your eyes…_" **(7)**

They ended the song with a flourish, everyone cheering and clapping, rooting for the increasingly popular band. Several girls were fanning themselves, shouting their affections towards the stage, Riku hearing them and blushing brightly. _Good lord, do girls really talk like that to strange rock stars they've never even met?!_

He shifted uneasily, Naminé noticing and rubbing his arm. "Don't worry about them, you know Axel only has eyes for you."

Riku nodded, still blushing a bit, "I know…"

Axel was speaking out to the crowd, giving his thanks, then said, "I've got something else I want to share with you guys. And I'm going to dedicate this song to my boyfriend, Riku."

Several girls gasped behind the group of friends, "Boyfriend?! You mean he's gay?"

"He's too hot to be gay! It's not fair!"

"Why are they always taken…"

Riku could barely hear their loud protests, his heartbeat pounding in his ears. Cloud was at Riku's side a moment later, lifting him up towards the stage, the blind boy reaching out to steady himself and meeting Axel's waiting hands. "Come on, Riku. I'm gonna sing for you."

"A-Axel…" Riku stammered, taking his boyfriend's hand and allowing him to lead him over to a stool that had been strategically placed in the middle of the stage, the blind boy feeling the heat of the lights shining down upon them from above. He could almost see the light dimly through his bandages, swallowing nervously and never letting go of Axel's hand. The red-head chuckled, grabbing another stool and sitting down across from him, their legs brushing together gently as Axel shifted so they were as close as possible, letting go of Riku's hand to retrieve his guitar.

"You okay?" Axel asked softly, the younger boy blushing furiously but nodding as he heard his boyfriend begin to strum softly chords that he had heard many times before. "I love you, Riku."

Tears forming in the corners of his eyes, the pale blonde's heart brimming with happiness, he whispered back, "I love you too, Ax…"

" _We watch the season pull up its own stakes,  
And catch the last weekend of the last week…  
Before the gold and the glimmer have been replaced,  
Another sun soaked season fades away..._

_"You have stolen my heart,  
You have stolen my heart…_

" _Invitation only, grand farewells,  
Crash the best one, of the best ones…  
Clear liquor and cloudy-eyed, too early to say goodnight...  
You have stolen my heart…  
You have stolen my…heart…_"

Marluxia and Larxene were playing softly in the background, the two exchanging a glance before returning to watching their singer and his boyfriend.

" _And from the ballroom floor we are in celebration,  
One good stretch before our hibernation…  
Our dreams assured and we all, will sleep well  
Sleep well, sleep well,  
Sleep well, sleep well…_

" _You have stolen my, you have stolen my,  
You have stolen my…  
You have stolen my…heart…_"

Axel put down his guitar, reaching up and wiping the tears trailing down Riku's cheek, leaning in and singing softly;

" _You are the best one, of the best ones…  
You have stolen my…heart…_" **(8)**

Riku sniffed, laughing happily. Axel leaned in and kissed him, breaking the silence that had fallen over the crowd as they watched the two boys interact, a deafening roar of cheers and applause rising up across the beach and soaring out over the ocean. Several seagulls took flight, startled by the noise. Axel smiled, reaching for his pocket and pulling out a ring, pressing it against Riku's hand. The younger boy reached for it, recognizing what it was immediately, his breath catching in his throat. "A-Ax? What…?"

Axel, gathering his courage, slid off of his stool and went down on one knee, Riku clinging to his hands desperately, the ring caught between their fingers. "Riku. Would you do me the honor of making me the happiest guy in the world, and promise me that you will be mine forever?"

The younger boy choked, half crying and half laughing, squeezing Axel's hands and nodding, saying with a shaky, yet overjoyed breath, "Yes! I will!"

Axel, grinning like a fox, let out the breath he had been holding and took the ring, sliding it onto Riku's ring-finger and lifting himself up to kiss his fiancée. All sorts of people were cheering, but among the loudest were their friends, especially Cloud, Zack, and Naminé. Eventually Axel pulled away from Riku, saying over his shoulder to Marluxia, "Take it away, Marl!"

The pink-haired boy grinned, taking over the center of the Sun Stage while Axel led Riku off to the side, the older boy's voice ringing out over the stage.

" _Can't explain all the feelings that you're making me feel!  
My heart's in overdrive and you're behind the steering wheel…  
Touching you, touching me,  
Touching you, yeah! You're touching me…_

" _I believe in a thing called love!  
Just listen to the rhythm of my heart…  
There's a chance we could make it now,  
We'll be rocking 'til the sun goes down!  
I believe in a thing called love! Ooh!_"

Axel and Riku stopped at the edge of the stage, melding together in the shadows, kissing over and over again. Riku felt as if his heart might burst, Axel holding him close and whispering how much be loved him before their lips reconnected again.

" _I wanna kiss you every minute, every hour, every day!  
You got me in a spin but everything is A-OK!  
Touching you, touching me,  
touching you, yeah! You're touching me…_

" _I believe in a thing called love!  
Just listen to the rhythm of my heart…  
There's a chance we could make it now,  
We'll be rocking 'til the sun goes down!  
I believe in a thing called love! Ooh!_

 _"Touching you, touching me,  
touching you, yeah! You're touching me…_"

Axel eventually moved back slightly, allowing the younger boy to catch his breath. Riku was still sniffing a bit, reaching up and wiping at his damp bandages. "Sorry…"

"Don't apologize," Axel said gently, "I will gladly change your bandages later. But for right now, I just want to hold you…"

Riku pressed his hands against his fiancée's chest as Axel pulled him close, inhaling the other boy's rich, warm cinnamon scent, clinging to his shirt as if intent on never letting go. "I love you so much Axel, you make me so happy…"

"I love you too babe," Axel said, grinning like the Cheshire cat. "I'm so glad you said yes, I was worried I might have asked you too soon."

Riku laughed against his chest, shaking his head. "You could never have asked too soon, I loved you from the beginning."

Axel hugged him tightly, "I've loved you from the start too."

Marluxia was dancing happily across the stage, enjoying the spotlight and getting the crowd riled up for the next band. He tossed his bright hair over his shoulders, singing the last few lines of his song with a grand show;

" _I believe in a thing called love!  
Just listen to the rhythm of my heart…  
There's a chance we could make it now,  
We'll be rocking 'til the sun goes down!  
I believe in a thing called love! Oooooooh!_" **(9)**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1), (2), (3), (4) are all random original band names that I made up.
> 
> (5) You and Your Denial by Yellowcard (I think this would be awesome with girl vocals!)
> 
> (6) Hands Down by Dashboard Confessional
> 
> (7) The Only Difference Between Martyrdom and Suicide Is Press by Panic! At the Disco
> 
> (8) Stolen by Dashboard Confessional (I left out one of the lyrics about high-heels!)
> 
> (9) I Believe In A Thing Called Love by The Darkness
> 
> Oh, and Waev City is pronounced just like Wave City. I just thought I'd be fancy.
> 
> Were you expecting it? Or was it a surprise? Thanks for reading!


	25. Yearning

_Five Alarm Curry_ took over after Marluxia's grand exit off of the Sun Stage, the Lava Stage glowing brightly with fiery red lights over the punk-rock band, their singer's voice echoing out over the amphitheater. They were good, but not nearly good enough to distract Riku from Axel. The two boys had been lip-locked since Axel's on-stage proposal, intertwined off the side of the Sun Stage while the concert continued on without them. Naminé had peeked around the corner at one point to say congratulations but had quickly left them alone, giggling and shooing away their other friends and telling them to leave the happy couple to themselves for a while. This was something big, something life-changing. And they would share it with their friends when they were ready to, but for right now all they needed were each other.

Riku was trembling slightly, Axel holding him close as he kissed the younger boy again, the pale blonde sighing against his lips. "I can't believe we're engaged…" he said softly, Axel grinning and chuckling at the younger boy's words.

"Yeah, I barely can either, and I'm the one who's been planning it for weeks now…"

Riku sighed, a smile across his lips as he replied, "For weeks, huh?"

The older boy chuckled again, "I'm surprised you never caught on before. I'm horrible at keeping secrets."

"Well that's good to know," Riku replied, laughing softly, "I'll never have to worry about you hiding things from me then!"

Axel leaned in and kissed the younger boy again, then turned when the crowd started cheering at _Five Alarm Curry_ 's finale. He took Riku's hand, and then asked happily, "You ready to rejoin the crowd? It might take a while before we find the others; everyone's shifted towards the ocean. After the Lava Stage it'll be the Lunar Stage, and the waves look like they're picking up. We might end up getting our feet wet…"

Riku nodded, "Yeah, let's go find everyone. Besides, this is your big night! I'm sure they want to congratulate you."

"I'm sure they'll want to congratulate you too…" Axel chuckled, "It's not every day you get engaged you know…"

Riku squeezed Axel's hand tightly, feeling the pressure of the band wrapped around his ring finger, an unmistakable smile across his face. _No, it most certainly is not_ …

-x-x-x-

 _Five Alarm Curry_ left the stage, allowing the mystery band to take its place on the fiery lit platform. Axel and Riku made their way along the edge of the crowd, the older boy making a path for the younger; the crowd too distracted with the happenings before them to realize who was pushing past them. Lucky for Axel, he didn't exactly need to be swarmed by screaming fans while Riku was with him. They wove back and forth through groups of friends and excited onlookers, but as the mystery band took the stage and people threw their hands in the air Axel lost all sense of direction, pausing for a moment and pulling Riku close. "We're going to stay here for a minute, alright?"

Riku nodded, pressed against Axel's side, listening to the words of the singer of the unknown band while they waited for the crowd to settle. She had a strange accent, one that Riku didn't recognize. "Hello everyone! Thanks so much for inviting us to be here tonight! This country is lovely, really. We truly appreciate your hospitality!"

Axel looked up, blinking in surprise. "No way, they got her to come to Waev City? She has _never_ toured outside of her home country before…"

"Who is it?" Riku asked, Axel clasping his hand and laughing.

"You don't know? Maybe she's not that popular yet with the general public, but she's all the rage in the internal music network. I've heard about her a lot traveling back and forth from Jepsin. Her name is Vivian, or Vivi as her fans call her. She just released her debut album last week. I don't think anyone expected her to be here."

Several people were shouting out declarations of love for the foreign singer, the girl laughing softly into her microphone before she began to sing,

" _There's a fire starting in my heart,  
Reaching a fever pitch, it's bringing me out the dark…  
Finally I can see you crystal clear,  
Go 'head and sell me out and I'll lay your shit bare!  
See how I leave with every piece of you  
Don't underestimate the things that I will do  
There's a fire starting in my heart  
Reaching a fever pitch, and it's bringing me out the dark…_

" _The scars of your love remind me of us,  
They keep me thinking that we almost had it all…  
The scars of your love, they leave me breathless  
I can't help feeling…  
We could have had it all, rolling in the deep  
You had my heart inside of your hand  
And you played it, to the beat…_"

Riku leaned in and said to Axel, "Wow, she's really good!"

The older boy smiled down at his fiancée then returned to surveying the crowd. The others had to be around here somewhere, he was sure that at least someone out of their group of friends had heard of Vivi before. Suddenly he spotted his brother and Yuffie cheering at the front of the crowd, shaking his head in amusement and starting towards them, Riku following closely behind.

" _Baby, I have no story to be told  
But I've heard one on you,  
And I'm gonna make your head burn…  
Think of me in the depths of your despair  
Make a home down there  
As mine sure won't be shared…_

" _The scars of your love remind me of us,  
They keep me thinking that we almost had it all…  
The scars of your love, they leave me breathless  
I can't help feeling…  
We could have had it all, rolling in the deep  
You had my heart inside of your hand  
And you played it, to the beat…  
We could have had it all, rolling in the deep  
You had my heart inside of your hand  
But you played it, with a beating…_"

Axel reached out and clasped Reno's shoulder, the older boy turning to look back at him with a wide grin. "Hey! There you are! We were wondering when you'd decide to show up again!"

Yuffie turned as well, clapping excitedly and reaching over for Riku, pulling the boy with her as she moved towards the crowd to Naminé and the others. "Come on! Your sister has been _dying_ to see you since Axel proposed!"

Riku laughed, allowing the girl to pull him along and leave the two brothers behind. Axel smiled, watching them go, his brother sighing softly and patting his back. "You did good, little bro. He's a keeper."

"I'm glad you approve after the fact!" Axel laughed, shoving his brother's arm playfully, Reno laughing in turn and shaking his head.

"I've always approved! I just didn't want to say anything that might make you do something before you were truly ready."

Axel nodded. They had both made mistakes in the past with rushing head-first into relationships. And they had both been hurt because of it. But things finally seemed to be falling into place the way that they should. Naturally, fluidly, perfectly… Axel cupped Reno's shoulder one more time and then headed in the direction Yuffie had dragged Riku, his older brother following him with a smile in his eyes. He was glad to see that his little brother was finally happy.

" _Throw your soul through every open door…  
Count your blessings to find what you look for…  
Turn my sorrow into treasured gold…  
You'll pay me back in kind and reap just what you sow…  
We could have had it all, we could have had it all…  
It all, it all, it all…_

" _We could have had it all, rolling in the deep  
You had my heart inside of your hand  
And you played it, to the beat…  
We could have had it all, rolling in the deep  
You had my heart inside of your hand  
But you played it, you played it,  
You played it, you played it to the beat…_" **(1)**

Naminé squealed happily when seeing her brother, reaching up to wrap her arms around her neck, Riku laughing softly and hugging her in turn. "Ri-kun! I am so happy for you!"

The blind boy smiled, saying teasingly, "How dare you keep secrets from me! You've know about this all along, haven't you?"

Naminé laughed, Yuffie giggling as well. "We've all known! Axel made us promise not to ruin the surprise!"

"Except Zexion almost said something! Stupid boys and their big mouths!" Yuffie said, placing a hand on her hip and shaking her head.

Naminé hugged Riku again then looked over his shoulder, greeting Axel with a smile. "There you are! My newest big brother!"

The older boy grinned impishly, stepping forward and hugging the petite blonde. "Hey Nami, thanks for helping me plan all of this…"

"Of course! I wouldn't have anything less for my sweet older brother…"

"Does that mean you'll be helping me with my engagement too?" Cloud asked, peeking his head through the crowd and stepping up to his little sister's side, patting Axel's back. "That was very nice, Axel. Very nice."

The red-head nodded to the older blonde, "Well, I do try..."

Riku laughed, reaching towards the sound of his brother's voice. "Don't pick on Axel! I thought it was very romantic."

"Sickeningly so," Cloud said with a sigh, "I don't know how I'm ever going to be able to top that."

Naminé giggled, then said, "Isn't that something for Zack to worry about?"

Cloud smiled softly, then said, "I think that I'm going to have to be the one to ask him, when the time comes. I think he might be a little gun-shy because of what happened before."

Naminé nodded, pressing a finger to her chin thoughtfully. "Well in that case, I'll start coming up with ideas for you immediately! Maybe at the park! Or we could always try to…"

"Don't get too excited!" Cloud laughed, "I'm nowhere near asking him yet! We're not even living together…"

"Only because he hasn't worked up the courage to ask you…" Naminé said with a grin, Cloud scowling at her.

Axel laughed, reaching over and taking his fiancée's hand, pulling Riku to his side. "Well, whatever happens between you and Zack, I hope you find happiness."

-x-x-x-

After Vivi was through with a few more songs, the lights dimmed on the Lava Stage and he crowd moved to the Lunar stage. The lighting was a silvery-grey, the backdrop pitch black with shimmering silver stars. The moon shining down from above did the rest, the ocean reflecting its pale tranquil light. _Spectrum_ took the stage first, their eerie, haunting, beautiful sound washing over the crowd at the ocean's waves lapped at their feet. Many people had taken off their shoes and were kicking at the water, splashing one another and laughing merrily. Axel and Riku were among them. While _Spectrum_ played, the red-headed boy pulled Riku into the surf, Riku laughing and following after him, the sand cool beneath his feet. The ocean spray dampened their hair and skin, Riku reaching up and ghosting his fingertips across the bandages covering his eyes. He tugged Axel's arm, the older boy looking back at him. "Can you help me take this off?"

Axel hesitated, his brow arched with worry. "Are you sure?"

Riku nodded fervently, "I'll be alright. I promise to say something if my head starts to hurt."

Axel smiled, then reached up and began to unwrap the cloth from around Riku's eyes, careful to take his time to avoid accidentally hurting his fiancée. Riku waited until Axel was finished, then slowly blinked open his eyes, dark shades of blue entering his vision as his eyes slowly processed the waves of the ocean. He blinked again, opening his eyes a bit wider, staring out towards the horizon and focusing on the stars gathered there then upwards, to the moon. Riku smiled and laughing softly, amazed at the details he could pick out as his eyes danced across various shadowed craters, his irises glistening in the starlight. Axel watched him with a soft smile, folding up the bandages and sliding them into his back pocket, the younger boy reaching over and taking his hand once he'd done so. Riku looked up at him, his once ghost-blue eyes shining a bright blue-green, the scar across his eyes barely visible in the dim light. "Wow Riku, your irises are regaining their color. You look great!"

Riku smiled, nodding and saying, "That's what Naminé said! I've still been too afraid to look in a mirror though. I'm afraid of what I'll see…"

"Baby, you're gorgeous." Axel said with a chuckle, reaching up and tilting Riku's chin before connecting their lips. "I wouldn't have you any other way."

The younger boy blushed lightly, smiling up at his fiancée, then lifted up his hand and examined his ring. It was silver, or white gold. Riku wasn't sure. But it was dainty and beautiful, soft blue stones highlighting the bright metal. "Oh Ax, it's so pretty…"

Axel grinned, "I'm glad you like it."

Riku gasped, suddenly realizing something, "My bracelet! It's the same colors as my shell bracelet, the one you bought for me…"

The red-head nodded, his green eyes soft. "Blue is your favorite color, isn't it?"

Riku smiled, lifting himself up on his toes and pressing his lips to Axel's. "You're so amazing. I love you."

"I love you too, Riku."

At that moment the crowd began to go crazy, _Spectrum_ stepping back and allowing _One Winged Angel_ to take the stage, Axel and Riku turning to watch the musicians take their places on the platform. Sephiroth was walking across the Lunar stage a few moments later, holding a microphone in his hand, holding up his other hand to silence the roaring crowd. "Thank you all for coming out to Waev City this evening. I hope you all have enjoyed the bands you've heard here tonight. I know I have." Several cheers went up from the crowd before Sephiroth silenced them again. "I'm sure by now that many of you have heard a rumor regarding _One Winged Angel_ 's latest album release. And I am here tonight to tell you that those rumors are true. Our most recent album was meant to be our last. We are retiring. Tonight will be our last performance together as _One Winged Angel_." Cries of disbelief and dismay erupted from the crowd, Axel and Riku exchanging a glance before hurrying towards their group of friends near the front of the stage, everyone else just as shocked as they were. Yuffie had her hand over her mouth, shaking her head and talking with Kairi and Selphie. The older boys were silent, Zack staring up at Sephiroth with confusion in his eyes, Cloud at his side looking up at him with worry.

"Did you know about this?" Cloud asked, Zack shaking his head in mild shock.

"I had no idea…"

"I had heard something," Kairi said, looking over at Tasogare and Kurei, who were standing together nearby, "But I thought it was just a rumor. You know how many rumors have been going around lately…"

"Then, do you really think it was all Sephiroth's idea?" Kurei asked, "That's the rumor, isn't it? That Seph's lost his ability to create music? So he's leaving the band…"

"And without their singer," Kairi said softly, " _One Winged Angel_ just wouldn't be the same…"

Sephiroth lifted his hand again, the crowd settling back down. "All of you have shared many memories with us. Some good, some bad. But in a way we are all connected. We have enjoyed our time with you, and our time together, but sometimes things are meant to be, and sometimes things are meant to come to an end. In the wake of our departure, our manager has insisted that we promote a new band. So tonight, we are here to offer up our sincerest appreciation to our fans, and our loved ones. And after much thought and consideration, we have made a decision on what band we will sponsor to rise to fame and fortune in our place."

The singers from _Heartless_ and _Spectrum_ walked onto the stage, taking their places beside Sephiroth. The first singer spoke, his voice soft and warm, "We have decided that it would be unfair of us to choose just one band out of all of the music we have heard tonight, so our sponsors have agreed that each of us will get to choose a band to promote."

The second singer nodded, adding, "Everyone who has played here tonight has done a spectacular job, but there was one band that, to each of us, stood out the most. It would be my honor as lead singer of _Spectrum_ to announce that we have chosen to sponsor _Multicolored White._ "

The crowd cheered in excitement, the first singer lifting his microphone and saying, "And it would be my privilege, as lead singer of _Heartless_ , to announce _Kung-Fu Kitties_ as the band we have decided to sponsor."

Sephiroth nodded to the two singers beside him, then said in response, "And it would be my utmost pleasure to introduce to you the talented band that we have chosen as our replacements. Please welcome them with open arms, as you once welcomed us to the stage. We have chosen to promote _Chakram_ as the new band for Jepsin Records!"

Axel let out a breath of air as if he'd been kicked in the chest, Riku gasping and looking up at his fiancée, smiling and cheering, "You did it, Axel! The manager for _One Winged Angel_ is legendary for promoting hot new talent! _Chakram_ is going to skyrocket!"

The red-head shook his head, shock evident across his features. "I can't believe this, I never thought that I'd see the day that _One Winged Angel_ would step down from the spotlight, let alone offer up their position in the headlines to _Chakram_ …"

Marl and Larx appeared out of the crowd a moment later, the pink-haired boy pulling Axel into a bear-hug and ruffling his long spikes, saying excitedly, "You did it! You crazy bastard! You really did it!"

"Me? What about you two!" Axel said, turning to his band-mates. "You two were amazing up there! Larxene was flawless, and your song was fantastic!"

Marluxia dipped into a mock-bow, Larxene smiling and shaking her head. "But if it hadn't been for you, Axel. None of this would have been possible. You're the one who held us together, convinced us to try and go pro. We couldn't have done this without you." She stepped forward, hugging her two friends. "You guys are great. I'm so happy we made it…"

Riku watched the interchange with a smile, looking over and picking out his sister's eyes out of their crowd of friends, the small blonde girl smiling over at him knowingly. All this time they had been waiting for the good things to come after the storm, and now those things were finally happening, all at once. They weren't just getting the sun-shine after the rain, they were getting rainbows and butterflies and freaking fairy-dust. The whole thing seemed surreal. The crowd cheered for the new bands that had been chosen, then returned their attention to _One Winged Angel_ as Sephiroth began to sing. They would play for hours and hours after their announcement, giving one hell of a performance before they faded into memory, passing on their blazing torch to the next generation of musicians.

The night ended with a series of fireworks over the ocean, the lights and colors flashing before Riku's eyes unlike anything he'd ever seen, or could remember seeing in his childhood. He had a small headache, but it was nothing compared to the migraines he'd experienced before. He pushed the discomfort to the back of his mind, staring up at the night sky with Axel's arms wrapped around his waist, the older boy holding him lovingly. He was engaged, and in love, and could finally see. He felt invincible. And the night had barely begun.

-xxxo0:O:0oxxx-

It was past midnight by the time that the after party started. All of the bands were invited, as well as the VIP guests. They had rented out a hotel to accommodate the sheer volume of guests that were to attend, along with full room service and a banquet in the main hall. And of course there were guest DJ's for the various dance halls located throughout the hotel. Because what would a concert be without an all-night rave following directly afterwards? And when would there ever be another opportunity to dance and party with your favorite bands? The entire setup was ingenious.

Axel had been approached over a dozen times already for his autograph, the red-head laughing softly at the attention and signing the various things he was offered; a CD, a shirt, a poster. Riku watched with an amused smile, having never witnessed his boyfriend in action with his fans before. Several girls were talking with him, one saying something then pointing towards Riku. Axel laughed and nodded, holding his hand out for Riku to join him. The pale blonde hesitated then complied, walking over to his fiancée's side. "She wants us to take a picture together." Axel explained at Riku's confused look. "That's okay, right?"

"Of course!" the younger boy said with a soft laugh, Axel grinning and wrapping an arm around his waist, the fan-girl taking a couple of pictures then thanking them profusely. Riku, embarrassed at the attention, wasn't quite sure how to react.

Axel, on the other hand, knew exactly what to do. He thanked the girl, waved to her and her friends, then lead Riku off towards the banquet hall. "Well, enough of that! Let's go get something to eat, I'm starving…"

The younger boy followed after the red-head, looking around at all the different people, recognizing some of the band members they passed, along with their friends. Sora was chatting excitedly with Misa and Kai, the twins from _Kung-Fu Kitties_ , Roxas watching with a smile. The twins were petite, and dressed alike, Misa laughing and nodding at something Sora had asked. Tasogare, Naminé, and Kairi were chatting with the girls from _Multicolored White_ , Tasogare and their lead singer talking in hushed voices. Riku wondered vaguely what they were talking about, there had been an intense look in Taso's eyes, but as Axel pulled him further down the hallway he lost sight of the girls. Oh well, he was sure he would hear all about it later.

Axel turned to Riku once they reached the banquet, asking, "What sounds good? Italian? Chinese? American?"

"All of thee above?" Riku asked, Axel laughing and shaking his head.

"Alright, randomness it is!" he grabbed a plate, offering one to Riku, the younger boy smiling and taking it from him. It was so odd being able to see what he was doing, not having to ask Axel a hundred questions before deciding on what he wanted to eat. He looked over the spread a few times, then decided on cheesy ziti, mac and cheese, orange chicken, fried rice, and some steamed pork buns. Axel was busy piling several slices of pizza onto his plate, along with sweet and sour chicken, chicken lo mein, deviled eggs, and potato salad. He grabbed two bottles of sprite with his free hand and sat down on a large plush couch, quickly devouring the first slice of pizza. When Riku sat down beside him and gave him a look, the boy replied, "I don't even care right now, everything looks so good…"

"Wait until you see the deserts!" Demyx said, sitting down beside them, Axel and Riku looking over at the dirty blonde, Zexion sitting down beside him. "I've been back for thirds already!"

"He's not exaggerating either," the slate-haired boy said, rolling his eyes. "I think he may have beaten a small child to get the last giant chocolate chip fudge cookie."

"They'll be bringing out more!" Demyx protested with a whine, Riku smiling while his boyfriend chuckled.

"That's a perfectly good reason to steal cookies from a child, Dem." Axel said dryly. "I definitely support that."

"Ooo! I think I see the next tray coming out!" He looked over at Zexion, pleading with his eyes. "Please? While they're still warm and gooey?"

The other boy shook his head, a smile across his lips. "Fine, I'll go get you another one…"

Riku looked over his shoulder, eyeing the deserts. "They've been going that fast?"

Zexion nodded to the pale blonde, saying, "You might want to come get some before they're gone."

Axel nodded to Riku, "Would you grab me one too?"

Riku smiled, nodding, taking another bite of chicken before getting up to follow after Zexion, the two boys walking together towards the deserts. Axel watched them go, then turned to look at Demyx, raising an eyebrow at him. The dirty blonde caught his look, blushing lightly, "What? I can't ask him to get me a cookie?"

"What's going on with you two? And while you're talking, what's going on with you and Yuffie?" he looked out across the room, noticing the girl was nowhere in sight. "Normally she's attached to your side like a magnet…"

Demyx took a bite out of his hot fudge brownie sundae, looking away thoughtfully as he licked his spoon. "We had a bit of an argument. I think everything is okay now, but it's just not the same, you know?"

Axel hesitated, then asked, "Was the fight about Zexion?"

The dirty blonde ducked his head, but nodded.

The red-headed boy smiled gently, then said, "It's always hard coming out Dem, especially when there are girls crushing on you. I've had girlfriends in the past, and I remember how dramatic that can be. But Yuffie is your friend, and she's Zexion's friend too. Give her some time, I'm sure she'll come around and be happy for you…"

"I haven't talked to Zex about it yet…" Demyx said, looking up at Axel with worry in his eyes. "I don't know what to say. I don't know what to do…" He looked over towards Zexion and Riku, who were walking back with several different cookies on their plates, chatting and laughing. "How do I tell one of my best friends that I have a thing for him?"

Axel sighed, "Don't think about it too much, Dem. The words will come."

The dirty blonde nodded, smiling over at Zexion as the boy returned to his place at his side, offering the other boy a massive chocolate chip cookie. "My hero!" Demyx declared, reaching over and breaking off a giant chunk of cookie, the chocolate so warm it created tiny ropes of fudge between the pieces of cookie as Demyx broke them apart.

Riku bit into a cookie of his own, looking over and grinning at Axel. "Demyx was right, these are amazing! I'm glad they just brought out some fresh ones!"

Axel smiled down at his fiancée, Riku offering him a bite of cookie, the red-head taking it from his fingers with a gentle bite. The pale blonde giggled softly, licking his fingers free of remnants of cookie, Axel grinning over at him as he chewed. "Mmm…"

Demyx blushed, watching them with a yearning, Zexion noticing his friend's disquiet and nudging him gently. "You okay?"

Demyx nodded, shoving the chunk of cookie in his mouth and making a pleased sound. Zexion smiled softly, but could tell something was off. What was Demyx hiding from him? And why had Yuffie avoided them all night?

-x-x-x-

Zack had been quiet since Sephiroth's announcement, Cloud slightly worried about the older boy. They stood together in the dimly lit foyer between the banquet hall and the entrance to one of the dance floors, the music somewhat muted until people came and went, bass drumming through the floor. The younger boy hesitated for a while, then reached over and took Zack's hand in his own. "You don't think this is your fault, do you?" the blonde asked gently, squeezing his boyfriend's hand.

The dark-headed boy let out a long sigh, replying, "I don't necessarily think it's my fault, but I do think it has to do with me. I wonder if Sephiroth has decided to leave the band because of what happened between him and that other boy… He was a fan of Sephiroth's, the boy that he had an affair with…"

"Do you think he's trying to make up for it somehow by ruining his career?" Cloud asked, trying to figure out what the other boy was thinking.

Zack shook his head. "I don't think that he will ruin his career, at this point _One Winged Angel_ has made millions of dollars. He's set for life no matter what he does from this point on." The older boy hesitated, thinking to himself, then said, "I think that he's lost himself. The Seph I knew before would have never even thought about cheating on me. Maybe the life of a rock star was too much for him to take. And now he thinks that by leaving he might be able to find himself again." He looked down at Zack, reaching up and brushing his thumb across the younger boy's jawline. "Don't worry, Cloud. I'm not having any mixed feelings. I'm not going anywhere."

Cloud smiled, blushing lightly. Zack had an uncanny way of seeing right through him. He had to admit he had been a bit worried when Zack had reacted so strongly to the news about Sephiroth and _One Winged Angel_ , but then again he had known the boys from that band for years. It might have been a bit more unsettling if Zack hadn't reacted at all. He was a caring, thoughtful person. But that didn't mean that he was having second thoughts about his feelings for Sephiroth, or his feelings for Cloud. The blonde smiled up at his boyfriend, tilting his head into Zack's touch. "You always know just what to say, don't you?"

Zack leaning in and kissed him, then said softly as they broke apart, "There's something I've wanted to ask you, but I'm not sure if it's the right time."

Cloud searched Zack's eyes, blue staring up into violet. "You can ask me anything, you know that…"

The older boy chuckled softly, then said, "Alright. I wanted to ask if you would like to move in with me."

Cloud blushed, his heart beginning to pound in his ears. Hadn't be just been making jokes with his little sister about this? But he knew better than to think she had said something about it to Zack… "You want me to move in? When did you decide on this?"

"As soon as you forgave me…" Zack replied, "I knew then that I wanted to be with you long term, wanted to take it a step beyond just dating, but I was scared that you might end up changing your mind. I didn't want to pressure you…"

Cloud smiled, thinking about Zack's whispered words that he hadn't been meant to overhear. " _I think you've managed to make me fall in love again. You little brat."_ He stepped forward, wrapping his arms around Zack's shoulders and pulling him into an embrace, their lips reconnecting hotly. "I would love to move in with you," he said happily, Zack laughing in turn and kissing the blonde again. They stood there together, kissing over and over, hidden in the shadows of the staircase near the entrance to the banquet hall, bass thrumming beneath their feet.

-x-x-x-

Tasogare instantly clicked with the lead singer of _Multicolored White_ , a pale, curvy girl named February. She wore tall heels and pale shades of color, her hair bright white mixed with pale pink, blue, and yellow. She struck Tasogare as a kindred spirit long before the mint-haired girl noticed the pendant she was wearing, February's eyes lighting up when she realized the other girl was staring at it. "Do you like it? It's my family's crest."

Tasogare reached up, meeting the other girl's hand where she had lifted the pendant from her chest, offering it to her new friend. It was a silver wolf with red eyes, flickering with gold specs when it was shifted under the light. "What does it mean?" Taso asked, February smiling at her secretively.

"I think you may already know. Does it seem familiar to you? Perhaps it reminds you of a loved one?"

Tasogare hesitated, then retrieved the key she had dangling on a chain from her neck, showing it to the other girl. "My brother." She said softly, February reaching out and touching it lightly, her eyes flickering for a moment as if she had seen something.

"He is here with you?" she asked.

Tasogare nodded, "He's always with me."

"Then let's speak with him." February said, a smile twisting her lips. "I have a feeling that our meeting was no chance encounter."

Naminé turned back from her conversation with the guitarist from _Multicolored White_ , intent on asking Tasogare if she wanted to go grab a bite to eat, but the mint-haired girl was gone. Frowning slightly, she turned to Kairi, "Did you see where Taso went?"

Kairi turned to Naminé from where she had been chatting with the drummer and bassist of the new band, looking around the room and shaking her head. "No, I'm not sure. Maybe she went to go grab a drink or something?"

Naminé nodded absently, but thought it was rather uncharacteristic of the older girl to run off without telling them first. "Let's go find her."

-x-x-x-

February followed after Tasogare, her heels clicking across the tile eerily as she followed after the mint-haired girl, humming to herself as they went. Tasogare walked to the back of the foyer, then turned and made her way to one of the side doors, opening it up and stepping outside into the cool night air. February stepped up to her side, glancing around. "I can feel someone is here. But it doesn't feel like a spirit. It feels like a beast…"

Tasogare looked over at the girl. "I'm not sure exactly what happened, but when my brother died his soul was connected to that of the wolves that fed off of him. And his presence in this world has been getting stronger, ever since…"

"He has a new meaning, a new purpose to fulfill." Her pale blue eyes met Taso's lavender. "What happened?"

Tasogare thought for a moment, then she said with a soft smile, "I think he fell in love."

"He made contact with someone?" the other girl asked, Taso nodding to her.

"Naminé, the albino girl I was with before. He pulled her out of a coma."

"Remarkable," February said, reaching for her pendant and letting out a long, slow breath. When she opened her eyes again they flashed with gold, the girl looking up towards the stars, then across the balcony to the edge of the hotel. "There's no need to hide from me. I'm a witch, not an exorcist."

Tasogare looked towards the shadowed corner where February had directed her words, watching as her brother emerged from the darkness, his eyes shifting from gold to red. He seemed more defined than usual, the night breeze almost seeming to caress his hair, moving it ever-so-slightly. "Shiloh, this is February. She wanted to talk to you."

Shiloh hesitated then stepped forward towards his sister, his watchful gaze keeping February a safe distance away. It was unnerving to have someone else looking for him, and be able to see him without his will helping them to do so. "What is it you wanted to say?" he asked, his words echoing softly in their ears. Tasogare never remembered him sounding so clear before, reaching out and touching her brother's arm, feeling a slight pressure there, and warmth.

"Impossible…" she breathed, "Shiloh, you're…"

"He's connected to the living in two different ways now, one through a family bond, and the other through a newfound love." February stepped forward, reaching out to touch the ghostly figure standing before them. "His will is strong, and fierce; like that of a wolf's. And though we can never bring your brother back to life, if he is capable of this kind of manifestation… I might be able to give him a night with you. And with your friend."

Tasogare looked over at the girl with wide eyes, then up to her brother. "Shiloh?" she asked, the boy meeting her eyes, then looking over at February.

"What do I need to do?"

-x-x-x-

Reno and Yuffie were on the dance floor with the girls from _Saberflight_ ; Tidus, Wakka, Selphie, Leon, and Aerith all dancing nearby, laughing as they talked above the pulse of the music flooding the room. Yuffie seemed to be back to her old self since the incident the other night at the karaoke bar but she hadn't really talked to Reno about it, which had the older boy worried. He wondered just how upset she was about Demyx not returning her feelings. She may hide things well, but Reno could see right through her cheery carefree demeanor. He knew when something was wrong.

He leaned in, pulling the girl under his arm, "Hey Yu-chan, everything's okay with you and Demyx now, right?"

Yuffie laughed and pushed out from underneath her friend's arm, looking up at him with a wide smile. "Don't be silly Reno. Everything's fine."

"You're not upset anymore?" he asked, watching the girl as she started to dance again.

"It's no biggie!" the girl said, tossing her hair from side to side as she moved to the music, "I'm sure there will be plenty of other boys out there who are _totally_ into girls… They'll be all over me once school's back in!"

Reno sighed. So that was a no then… She _was_ upset, but she would eventually get over it, as soon as she had another boy to distract her from Demyx. But now that Demyx had rejected Yuffie…did that mean he was finally going to be able to make a move with Zexion?

-x-x-x-

Demyx walked through the parking lot of the hotel slowly, letting his mind wander. What was he doing? Why couldn't he just act normal, like he always did around Zexion? He'd never even really thought about the other boy in a more-than-friends way until recently, and now that he had it was like he couldn't stop thinking about it no matter how hard he tried. Every word, every touch, every moment was like an eternity. It was like he was being consumed by his feelings for the other boy. And he had no way of stopping it, and ignoring it didn't seem to work either. He found himself blushing around the other boy, and feeling nervous and awkward. Why couldn't he just talk to Zexion about it? Axel had once told him that Zexion liked him too, but what if his feelings had changed? What if Demyx had managed to push him away…

He heard footsteps approaching from behind, turning to see Zexion walking towards him, the other boy's hands in his pockets as he advanced silently. Demyx reached up, rubbing the back of his head. He couldn't blame the other boy for coming to find him, he had just sort of disappeared from the banquet hall without saying anything. "Hey, are you okay?" Zexion asked, stepping up to his friend's side.

Demyx nodded, "Yeah, just thinking about stuff."

"Is something wrong?" Zexion asked softly. "Did you have a fight with Yuffie? She seems kinda distant tonight…"

"Yeah, I sort of told her I didn't like her." Demyx replied.

Zexion made a sound of understanding, nodding his head, "I see, she finally started to get to you, huh? I was wondering how long it would take before you had to tell her to back off."

Demyx laughed softly, "Was it that obvious?"

Zexion smiled over at his friend. "Well, after she had to practically force a kiss on you, I figured you weren't that interested. But you're a nice guy, so sometimes you don't really know how to say no."

The dirty-blonde nodded his head. Zexion knew him all too well. He hesitated a moment, then replied, "Actually, there's someone else I'm interested in. That's really the reason why I had to turn her down."

"Oh?" Zexion questioned teasingly, "Is it Naminé? Because I'm pretty sure Cloud would kill you…"

Demyx laughed, then said softly, "Would you believe me if I told you it…wasn't a girl?"

Zexion blinked, "Really? Who is it? I never thought you were into guys."

The other boy smiled, then said teasingly, "That's never stopped you from flirting with me though, has it?"

At that comment Zexion blushed crimson, pulling his hands from his pockets and taking a step back, "I…I'm sorry, I never meant to…"

Demyx, taken back by his friend's reaction, reached out and touched his arm, saying softly, "Hey, I was just teasing you, Zex…"

The slate-haired boy laughed nervously, swallowing and looking away. Demyx could tell that Zexion was trembling slightly, his usual cool demeanor shattered by the younger boy's words. He'd never acknowledged it before, that Zexion had been flirting with him for all these years. Casually, of course, but Demyx had definitely noticed. He noticed even more-so now that he thought back on the time they had shared together. Late dinners, scary movies, sharing secrets, keeping promises…a deep friendship that would never end. And that, with time and age, had slowly become something more…

Demyx tried again, searching for the words to needed to express himself, "Zexion, I didn't mean…"

The older boy shook his head, "No, you're right. I'm sorry. I know I probably shouldn't, but sometimes I can't help myself around you." He smiled over at his friend, worry shining in his dusky eyes. "But you have to know Dem, I would never ever make a move on you. I value our friendship far too much."

Demyx's eyes softened, the dirty blonde squeezing his friend's shoulder. "Stupid Zexi. Why do you always have to take everything I say so seriously. Am I not allowed to tease you just because you like me?"

Zexion started to say something, but then laughed it off, saying softly, "Of course you can… I'm sorry. I guess if you've know about it all along, I shouldn't act any differently around you…right?"

"You've really liked me all this time?" Demyx asked softly, pulling back and crossing his arms over his chest. "Why? What's so special about me? I'm sure there are other boys out there who are much prettier, much more interesting…"

The older boy blinked, laughing and placing a hand on his hip. "Are you serious? Demyx, you're perfect. We've been best friends for years now. We know everything about one another, and have lasted through all the bad times, and shared all of the good times. Why would I want to be with anyone besides you?"

"Exactly." The younger boy said, smiling softly. "Why is it that you always manage to say everything I can't so damn easily?" He smirked softly, taking a few steps off towards the edge of the parking lot, saying over his shoulder. "I've been trying for days now to gather up the guts to tell you that I'm crushing on you, and here you are telling me you've liked me for years without so much as a second thought."

Zexion didn't catch what Demyx had said at first, then his eyes went wide as he realized what the other boy was saying. "W-Wait a minute, what did you say?"

"You heard me," the dirty blonde replied, turning to look at his friend. "I like you. I've always liked you, I just wasn't sure enough about it to say anything to you. But once I started spending time with Yuffie, I couldn't get you out of my head. You're all I could think about. Which is why Yuffie and I had an argument… She called me out on the fact that I was way more interested in you than her."

Zexion was flushed a pretty shade of pink, his brow arched with concern. "But you… I never…" He shook his head, trying to wrap his mind around what was happening. "You like boys? And not only that, you like _me_? After all this time…"

"I'm sorry I made you wait." Demyx said softly, stepping back over to his friend, Zexion watching him with shimmering eyes. "Can you forgive me?"

The older boy chuckled softly, then nodded. "I think I can do that."

Demyx hesitated, then said softly, "You know, I've been wondering what it would be like to be kissed by someone I'm actually attracted to. I'm sure it would be much better than my first kiss."

"Yuffie was your first kiss?!" Zexion exclaimed, "That little punk! I'll wring her tiny little neck…"

Demyx laughed, taking another step forward, reaching up and touching his fingertips to Zexion's cheek. "Care to show me what a real kiss feels like?"

The older boy smiled, placing his hands on Demyx's hips and pulling him a bit closer, tilting his head and pressing their lips together gently, lightning dancing up the blonde's spine at his touch. It was simple, and sweet; but it had an effect ten times as powerful as Yuffie's kiss. "Did you feel that?" Zexion asked softly, his dark eyes soft.

Demyx nodded, his blue eyes searching Zexion's grey. "I want to feel it again..."

The older boy pulled him in close, reconnecting their lips, Demyx gasping against him, a blush crossing his cheeks. It had taken so long for them to reach this point, but it had definitely been worth the wait.

-x-x-x-

February made her way through the crowd, her heels clicking lightly across the tile, seeking out the petite blonde she had seen before. The presence inside of her forced her to turn her head, Shiloh spotting Naminé long before February did, the girl smiling and walking over to the younger girl, tapping her on the shoulder. Naminé looked up at her, smiling and saying, "Hello again! Have you seen my friend? I seem to have lost her somewhere in the crowd."

February smiled, saying gently, "I think she went outside for some fresh air." She surveyed the room, then when seeing that no one was really paying attention, she reached down and took Naminé's hand. "Come with me. I have a surprise for you."

The petite girl blinked but followed after the singer, the girl humming happily as she led Naminé off down the foyer, Shiloh's happiness putting a bounce in her step. The pale blonde following her giggled at her cheerfulness, asking, "Where are you taking me?"

"Somewhere where we can be alone," February heard herself say, closing her eyes for a moment and letting Shiloh take over, the boy's spirit overwhelming her mind and allowing him to take control of her body. When she looked back at Naminé, her pale blue eyes were red-gold, Naminé recognizing them immediately.

"S-Shiloh?"

He smiled at her, nodding and saying gently, "Don't worry, February is fine. It was actually her idea to let me possess her for a few hours. She and my sister were worried that if I wasn't careful my spirit might start to wander into other people's souls. So, to avoid that, she's letting me enjoy a night with you. They said it should help me calm down a bit."

"You wanted to spend a night with me so badly you possessed someone?" Naminé asked, worry in her voice. "Shiloh, I don't understand…"

"You're the first person besides my sister that I've ever loved." Shiloh said softly, pressing his back against the wall of the empty hallway and pulling Naminé against his chest. "I guess my spirit draws power from you somehow when you think about me, the same way that my sister's thoughts help to sustain me in the realm of the living. Which means you've been thinking about me a lot lately, because I've never been able to do anything like this before."

Naminé blushed lightly, nodding. "I think about you every day. I wanted to see you again…" She reached out and touched Shiloh's chest, saying shakily, "I know that's selfish. I know that you probably shouldn't even be able to make contact with us. Sometimes I wonder if it's cruel to want to see you, because maybe you should have moved on to a better place by now. But still…"

"I don't know if I'll ever move on," Shiloh said softly. "Honestly, I don't know if there's anything to move on to." He reached up, cupping Naminé's cheek gently. "I'm happy being able to spend time with my sister, and I'm happy that I'm able to watch over you. I just wish that I could really touch you…"

Naminé blushed, February's touch soft and caring. It was unnerving to know that Shiloh was inside of the girl controlling her movements, using her body… "Shiloh, are you sure February is okay?"

His eyes flickered, red fading into blue, the girl laughing softly and clasping Naminé's shoulders. "Shiloh's not hurting me, Naminé. He just wanted to see you, that's all."

Naminé nodded, blushing lightly. "Is it wrong if I want to kiss him?"

February giggled, shaking her head, her long white hair falling eloquently down her shoulders. "No, it's alright. I won't tell a soul, promise." She winked at the younger girl, holding a finger up to her lips. "Just don't overthink things. Enjoy the time that you have."

Naminé nodded, watching as February's eyes changed color again, reddish gold replacing pale blue. A moment later Shiloh was reaching out for her, pulling her back into his arms.

He smiled at her knowingly, saying softly, "You want to kiss me, huh?"

Naminé blushed a bit deeper and glanced away, saying softly, "When you kissed me before I wasn't expecting it. I didn't get a chance to kiss you back."

Shiloh paused, asking hesitantly, "Are you sure?"

Naminé nodded, looking up into Shiloh's eyes, loosing herself in the intensity of the ghost's gaze. "I'm sure."

"Then close your eyes." He said gently, watching her rosy pink eyes disappear behind her long lashes, the boy leaning in and kissing her gently, Naminé sighing softly and leaning into his touch. With her eyes closed she could almost forget about the fact that she was kissing another girl, Naminé quickly losing herself to Shiloh's kiss. He pulled away a few moments later, then dipped in again, reaching up and tangling his fingers in her long soft hair. They eventually parted, Naminé panting softly and curling up against Shiloh's chest, the older boy holding her close, feeling their hearts thrumming together, almost in sync. He smiled, closing his eyes for a moment, reaching out for February's mind.

" _Thank you_ …" he said softly. He could hear the girl giggling in the back of his mind.

" _You're welcome, dear._ " She replied gently, adding," _We all deserve to share a night with the people we love, alive or dead. Just remember to save a bit of time for your sister before you go._ "

Shiloh nodded, opening his eyes and looking down at Naminé, the girl resting against his chest comfortably. "Do you want to go lay down? We could go hang out in Taso's room. I'm sure she'd love the company."

"She's gone to bed already?" Naminé asked, looking up at him.

Shiloh grinned, "Well, I think she was going to grab some food first, and talk to Kurei. And then, if she's not too distracted by Kairi and the others I'm sure she'll head back to the room to read. You know Taso, she's not much of a partier."

Naminé laughed softly, nodding her head. "I'd like that."

Shiloh smiled at her, taking her hand and leading her back towards the main lobby. "And maybe…we could grab something to eat too? I haven't tasted pizza in years…"

Naminé laughed again, saying in reply, "Well, if February doesn't mind you fattening her up for the night, I'd say you can eat whatever you'd like!"

February giggled, saying softly, " _Just stay away from peanuts! That's my only request_!"

"Remind me to watch out for peanuts," Shiloh said to Naminé, glancing over his shoulder at her. "Wouldn't want to ruin the night by sending our new friend into anaphylactic shock."

Naminé grinned, intertwining her fingers with Shiloh's as she followed after him. Nothing could ruin this night. Nothing.

-x-x-x-

Axel and Riku crawled into bed, the younger boy yawning and resisting the urge to rub his eyes. "Will you put some ointment on my eyes and wrap me up again? I'm finally starting to get a headache."

The older boy nodded, reaching over to the bedside table and fetching Riku's eye cream, the younger boy laying back and closing his eyes to allow his fiancée access to his scars. "Does this hurt?" Axel asked, tracing a layer of ointment across Riku's eyes and cheeks.

"No, it doesn't hurt at all anymore." Riku replied, "Honestly if it weren't for the light sensitivity my eyes would never hurt. The pain from the tension in my scar is completely gone."

"Good!" Axel said, smiling down at his lover, reaching over and grabbing some bandages from the table and wrapping Riku's eyes gently, tucking the excess behind the younger boy's ear. "How's that feel."

"That's great, thanks Ax…" he reached up, his hand pressing against Axel's bare chest, the older boy leaning down and kissing his forehead.

"Go to sleep, babe. We've got to catch an early flight in the morning."

Riku yawned, nodding and curling up against his fiancée's chest. "Are you sure it's alright that I come with you to Jepsin to meet your new managers?"

"Of course it'll be alright. After all, you're helping with the music and song-writing. As far as I'm concerned you're a part of the band!"

Riku laughed softly, grinning against the red-head's chest. "I'm glad the song worked out so well. I was worried your fans wouldn't like it as much as your other original songs."

"Nonsense," Axel replied, "You have an amazing talent, Riku. And I'm not the only one who thinks so. Both Marl and Larx have asked if you'll be joining the band once your sight has fully returned. You can sing, you can play guitar, you can write…"

Riku laughed softly, "Well, if you're serious, I guess I wouldn't mind joining _Chakram_ …"

Axel chuckled, nuzzling his fiancée's cheek and kissing him gently. "But only if you want to, of course."

Riku smiled, "If you're asking if I'm okay with becoming a rock-star, the answer would be yes. Besides, it will help me keep an eye on all of those crazy fans of yours."

"Ah, but if you joined _Chakram_ , wouldn't that make them crazy fans of _ours_?"

"Touché," Riku replied, "But then again, I guess I don't have anything to worry about now that I've gotten a ring…"

"There are so many jealous women out there longing to be you…" Axel teased, Riku smiling and reaching up to his fiancée's face, tracing his fingertips across the older boy's nose and brow.

"I'm glad that you chose me," Riku said softly. "It seems like only yesterday you were harassing me in class, hitting on my sister…"

Axel chuckled, leaning in and kissing Riku, the younger boy making a soft sound against his lips. "I love you, babe. I will always love you."

Riku grinned, his fingertips tracing his lover's jawline and coming to rest against his chest. "I love you too, Ax. I'm so glad I got to see you today. It made me so happy."

"Cait Sith scheduled your last checkup for the end of the month. Then, after that, you'll be able to go without your bandages, and hopefully your headaches will have gone away."

The younger boy nodded sleepily against the older boy's chest. "I hope so…" He pressed his cheek against Axel's shoulder, the older boy wrapping his arms around him and pulling the sheets up around his shoulders, stroking his hair soothingly.

"So do I, Riku," he whispered softly, looking down at the boy resting against his chest with unbridled affection. "So do I…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1) Rolling in the Deep by Adele


	26. Zest

"Riku! Hey, where are you going?"

The boy turned, lifting his hand to push back his long pale hair as it passed before his eyes, the chilly winter breeze rustling his jacket and jeans. "I wanted to see the ocean! I heard it was icing over along the coast!"

Axel laughed, his breath causing white puffy clouds to pass from his mouth into the air, the red-head shaking his head and watching his fiancée affectionately. "Alright, just don't get too close! The last thing we need is for you to catch pneumonia the night before your first concert!"

The younger boy smiled, his eyes shining brightly, his irises an exotic mixture of blue and green. The scar that passed over his eyelids and across his cheeks was barely visible, a ghost fragment of the life he had once lived, a brand that branched from the time he'd lost Sora to the time where he'd found Axel. He had once found it ugly, but now he loved it; it reminded him of everything he'd experienced, everything he'd been through. And whether he liked it or not it was a huge part of what had made him who he presently was. The boy that was best friends with Sora and Roxas, and engaged to Axel… The brother of Cloud and Naminé, who could now brag to his siblings as the newly hired singer of _Chakram_ … He had made a full recovery from his eye surgery, his vision had completely returned, and was much stronger than he had ever been before.

He still had yet to see his parents in the ten months that had passed since his recovery from the operation, but once he and Axel returned back to Dashilaw from this concert they were going to meet them for a nice family dinner. Zack and Axel were of course invited, and Riku wasn't sure how exactly that would play out, but he was eager to find out. Not to mention Naminé's new girlfriend, February. He couldn't wait to hear what his parents would have to say about that.

He smiled to himself, looking out across the freezing ocean, noticing the sky had darkened and thick clouds were rolling in. Another round of flurries, no doubt… Would it be snowing during the concert? He turned from the hill overlooking the coast to look over at his fiancée. Axel was watching him silently, a soft expression across his face. Riku walked over to him, taking his mitten-covered hand in his own, looking up at him and saying, "Alright, I guess we should start heading to the airport…"

Axel nodded in agreement, the two boys walking together back to their rental car. They climbed inside, turning on the engine and listening to the radio for a moment as a newscaster gave the latest weather forecast information. "Well, as long as it's not snowing too hard I'm sure the concert will still be on for tonight." He turned to look over at the other boy, asking, "You're okay with rocking out in the snow, right?"

Riku laughed, nodding excitedly, his teal eyes bright. "Of course! I can't wait!"

They drove through the city, weaving through the thick traffic of Waev City to the airport. The flight to Jepsin wasn't more than an hour away, the boys quickly finding parking, making their way through security, and going to their gate where Marluxia and Larxene were waiting for them. Their band-mates greeted them warmly, Marluxia hugging Riku and ruffling his hair, Larxene smiling over at them. "Well well! You two look half frozen!"

"Riku wanted to see the ocean before we left." Axel replied, looking down at the smaller boy with a grin. "And what Riku wants…"

"Yeah yeah, you're so damn cute…" the blonde girl replied, rolling her eyes and turning to look towards the boarding gate leading to the airplane. "Let's just hope it doesn't start snowing before they tell us to get on the stupid plane…"

As if on cue the loudspeakers overhead announced boarding for first class to Jepsin City, Larxene cheering and walking over to the flight attendant with her ticket, waving Marluxia over, the pink-haired boy following after her dutifully. Axel took Riku's hand, the singers walking together to the stewardess and handing over their tickets, following after their friends down the long sloping ramp leading to their plane. They found their seats in first class, Larxene sitting beside Riku and Marluxia sitting on the other side of Axel, the two older boys chatting excitedly about the songs they'd selected for the concern.

Larxene leaned over, asking Riku softly, "Are you nervous?"

"Yes…" Riku admitted, nodding as he said, "But somehow I know that everything is going to be okay. I guess the stage fright is just a fear that you have to conquer over time." He tilted his head, asking, "Were you ever afraid when you first started playing in front of people?"

The blonde girl laughed, leaning back in her seat and looking up at the ceiling of the plane. "Was I scared? Oh you have got to be joking. I was terrified! I forgot what notes to play, I couldn't get my tracks to sync properly, and I've even managed to knock one of my speakers off the stage before by tripping over the wires in-between songs. I've been laughed at, and teased, and been the butt-end of jokes." She reached over, patting Riku's knee. "But now that _Chakram_ has gained a decent level of respect from the community, and I have hundreds of emails from adoring fans…" She grinned, saying, "It's worth it, trust me. You're a great musician and an amazing singer. If people don't accept you at first don't sweat it. It's going to be a big change. People are used to Axel being the only singer, and some might not like the new sound. But we like it, and the record label likes it." She looked over at Axel and Marluxia, the two boys listening and smiling at her and Riku. "This will be good for us. We have confidence in you."

-x-x-x-

They went out to eat before heading to the venue. Axel picked out a place that served all-day dim sum, grinning at Riku when the boy asked him what just exactly that was. "You'll like it, I'm sure." The red-head replied, taking the boy's hand as they wanted through the parking lot towards the entrance to the large ornate Chinese restaurant.

Larxene and Marluxia followed after them, the pink haired boy saying softly, "He's either going to love it or hate it! I hope Axel's right!"

They sat down at an oval table, several waitresses coming around with various carts, each offering a different type of food. Steamed dumplings, pork shumai, shrimp ha gao, cheung fun… Riku instantly fell in love with the barbeque pork buns and yellow egg buns. Marluxia was busy shoveling down pork fried rice, while Larxene delicately picked up a shrimp ha gao with her chopsticks and popped it into her mouth. Axel watched his fiancée with a smile, biting into a custard bun and chewing slowly, savoring the sweet flavor. They had sweet rice cakes and several different types of desert buns, and then they ended their meal with jasmine tea. Riku sighed contentedly, leaning his head on Axel's shoulder while they waited for their check to arrive, the redhead stroking his hand along his fiancée's leg gently.

Suddenly, a petite Asian girl walked up to their table, gasping and saying excitedly, "Oh my god! You're _Chakram_! I have tickets for your concert tonight!" Her words instantly set off a chain reaction, several other girls turning and looking over at their table with curiosity, then gasping and squealing in delight.

Axel rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, looking down at Riku apologetically. "That's the only downfall about coming to places like this. There's lots of people…"

Riku laughed, shaking his head, "It's alright. I'm going to have to get used to it sooner or later."

Marluxia, Larxene, and Axel signed several things, then they paid for their check and walked outside, a couple of fans following after them. One was a shy blonde boy, who eventually gathered up his courage and walked over to Axel and Riku, smiling up at them uncertainly. "I know we've never met before, but I wanted to thank you two. I was at the concert in Waev City when you proposed, and it finally gave me the courage I needed to come out to my family, and confess my love to a boy I'd had a crush on since grade school."

Axel smiled, reaching out and shaking the boy's hand. Riku did the same, saying happily, "I'm so glad that you were able to finally take that step! I know how hard that can be…"

The blonde blushed slightly, pulling his hand away. "Well, it worked out well with my family but…he ended up not liking me the same way. Still, just being able to finally confess my feelings for him was enough for me. I know I'll find my special someone out there someday."

"Never give up," Axel said, Riku looking up at his fiancée as he spoke. "It'll be tough sometimes, and you might be lonely for a while. But it'll be worth the wait."

The blonde boy eventually waved goodbye and went back inside the restaurant, Riku and Axel standing there together in the sunset, bathed in gold. The pale blonde boy looked up at the red-head standing beside him, a soft smile across his lips. "Was I worth the wait?" he asked, bright green eyes looking down at him lovingly.

"Do you even have to ask?" Axel whispered, leaning down and kissing the younger boy.

Riku giggled softly, "No…but I always like hearing you tell me sweet things. Like how cute I am, or how much you miss me, or how much you're wanting to-"

Axel kissed him again, cutting off his words, Riku laughing softly against his lips. He wrapped his arms around his fiancée's shoulders, pulling him closer, heat searing through his body as their tongues touched. He was panting slightly when Axel pulled away, the older boy looking down at him with want. "Tease…" he scolded softly, a smile turning up the corners of his lips.

Riku blushed, turning his cheeks light pink. They'd been a bit more aggressive with one another since Riku's sight had returned, and the tension between them had been steadily growing over the months that followed. They had yet to act on their desires however; they'd been busy with their sponsors, and recording their first album, and traveling around the country. "I'm not a tease," Riku said with a pout, then added shyly, "I'll prove it to you tonight if you don't believe me."

Axel's eyes flickered for a moment, the red-head's breath catching in his throat before he sighed, shaking his head. "You drive me crazy sometimes. But sadly it's in a good way, so I really can't complain…" He nuzzled his nose against Riku's. "As for tonight…"

"Hey you two! Are you gonna stand out here and freeze or are we heading to the concert hall?"

The red-head sighed, pulling back from Riku and turning to look over his shoulder at Marluxia. The other boy was grinning from ear to ear, fully aware of the fact that he had interrupted the two. Larxene's arms were crossed over her chest, the girl rolling her eyes and shaking her head at the pink-haired bassist. "We should probably get in some practice before the crowd starts to arrive, to help Riku get used to the lights and the layout of the stage."

Axel turned, looking down at the boy in his arms. Riku nodded, smiling up at him. "That's probably a good idea."

"Alright…" Axel said with mock exasperation, taking Riku's hand and walking with him towards the car. He traced his thumb against his fiancée's palm gently, the other boy blushing and biting his lip. He knew what that meant, what Axel wanted to do to him. He swallowed, trying to calm his racing heart. If he could make it through the concert, then maybe tonight as a reward for all his hard work they finally might be able to…

-x-x-x-

The stage was much bigger than Riku had anticipated. It stretched across the entire length of one wall of the concert hall, the floor opening up and spreading around it in a massive arcing crescent shape. The concert hall was enclosed around the edges, but when looking up the tall walls towards the ceiling Riku found that the dome was still open. Giant snow-laden clouds were clearly visible above, passing overhead like fluffy grey and white marshmallows dipped in golden honey. Several high-tech cameras were set around the outskirts of the stage, stagehands setting up speakers on either side of the stage and positioning various lights in the rafters. Axel wrapped an arm around Riku's shoulders, following the younger boy's gaze. "Pretty impressive, huh?"

"Yeah…" the other boy whispered, "Are you sure bringing me in unannounced will be a good idea?"

Axel chuckled, "What are you talking about? I announced you to the entire world almost a year ago. Everyone knows who you are; they just don't realize you're part of the band too!"

Riku smiled, lifting his hand up and staring at his ring. It shone brightly in the light of the sunset, his blue shell bracelet wrapped around his wrist daintily and matching his ring beautifully. He stared at his ring for a long moment, then sighed and turned towards Axel, lifting himself up onto his toes and kissing his fiancée before walking off towards the back of the stage. "Let's practice a couple of songs to warm up!"

Axel smiled, following after him. "Alright, what do you want to do first?"

Riku continued walking, saying over his shoulder, "What about the new one Larxene helped me write?"

Hearing her name, the blonde girl looked up from her synthesizer, watching the two boys approach. "Are you sure about doing that one tonight?"

"Why not? It's one of my favorites, honestly." Riku said, walking over to her and retrieving his guitar from its cast. "I think everyone else will like it too!"

The girl smiled, keying a few notes on her instrument absently, humming softly as she did so. "Well, alright. Let's give it a go."

Axel called for Marluxia, the pink haired boy walking over with a cup of coffee, sipping at the steaming beverage cautiously. The red-head shook his head at the boy, "And how are you supposed to play if your hands are full?"

"You can do one song without me!" the older boy said, taking another sip from his coffee. "Let me warm up a bit, I'm freezing already." He glared over at Larxene, who laughed and held up her hands defensively.

"You cannot blame me this time! I didn't steal your jacket; you just forgot about it completely and left it at the hotel!"

The boy muttered something under his breath, shaking his head and sipping at his coffee. Axel sat down, resting his guitar against his knee and tuning it by ear, looking up and watching Riku do the same. They met eyes for a moment, smiling at one another, before Axel started to play.

" _Don't remind me, that some days I'm a windshield  
And other days I'm just a lucky bug,  
As cold iron rails leave old mossy trails through the countryside…  
The crow and the bean field are my best friends but boy, I need a hug…_"

" _Boy, I need a hug…_ " Riku sang, echoing his fiancée with a smile.

" _Cause my heart stops without you, there's something about you,  
That makes me feel alive…  
If the green left the grass on the other side…_"

Riku strummed his guitar, singing, " _I would make like a tree and leave…_ "

" _But if I reached for your hand, would your eyes get wide?_ "Axel smiled, pausing so Riku could take over as lead singer.

" _Who knew the other side could be so green?  
Don't remind me, I'm a chickadee in love with the sky,  
But that's clearly not a lot to crow about…  
Cause when the stars silhouette me,  
I'm scared they'll forget me and flicker out…_

" _I taste honey but I haven't seen the hive…  
Yeah I didn't look, I didn't even try…  
But still my heart stops without you,  
There's something about you that makes me feel alive…_"

" _If the green left the grass on the other side…_ "

" _I would make like a tree and leave…_ "

" _But if I reached for your hand, would your eyes get wide?_ "

" _Who knew the other side could be so green?_ "

They sang together for a moment, catching one another's eyes.

" _We are honey and the bee_ …"

" _Backyard of butterflies surrounded me_ …"  
" _I fell in love with you, like bees to honey!_ "

" _So let's up and leave the weeping to the willow tree_ …"

" _And pour our tears in the sea_ …"

Axel took over again, strumming his guitar.

" _I swear there's a lot of vegetables out there, that crop up for air…  
Yeah I never thought we were two peas in a pod,  
Until you suddenly bloomed, then I knew,  
That I'd always love you…_"

Riku laughed softly, his eyes shining, " _Oh, I'll always love you too_ …"

" _If the green left the grass on the other side…_ "

" _I would make like a tree and leave…_ "

" _But if I reached for your hand, would your eyes get wide?_ "

" _Who knew the other side could be so green?_ "

Axel stopped strumming, reaching out and taking Riku's hand, singing softly.

" _And if I reached for your hand, for the rest of my life_ …"

Riku leaned in and kissed him, singing, " _Who knew the other side could be so green_?" **(1)**

-x-x-x-

After another hour or so the concert hall was beginning to fill with people, fans chatting excitedly across the floor, cheering for _Chakram_ to come out and play. Riku shook out his shoulders and hands, flexing his fingers, trying to rid himself of his first performance jitters. Axel rubbed his shoulders gently. "It's going to be great, babe. Don't worry about it too much, you'll give yourself a migraine."

"I know, I'm just nervous…"

Axel pulled him close, kissing his neck gently. "Just be yourself. And remember to have fun."

They took their places, grabbing their instruments and walking out onto the stage, everyone instantly noticing the pale boy standing beside Axel, holding a guitar. Riku was recognized by several girls in the front row, the girl squealing and waving at him excitedly, calling out his name. Riku laughed, blushing lightly, looking over at Axel as his fiancée grabbed ahold of the microphone stand and spoke.

"How's everyone doing tonight?" the crowd cheered, several calls of _We love you, fire crotch!_ echoing up from the massive sea of bodies surrounding the stage. Ever since the concert at Waev City it had become a nickname for him that he hadn't been able to shake. Stupid Yuffie, that brat… Riku laughed softly, covering his mouth with his hand and looking away, blinking away tears of laughter. This fiancée looked over at him, glaring playfully, before turning back to the crowd. "I'm sure you all remember my fiancée, Riku?" Several fans cheered, the girls in the front row calling out their affections for the couple. "Well, he's going to be singing with us tonight! So now I'm going to hand over the mic to him. Enjoy the concert!" Riku swallowed nervously as Axel looked over at him, holding out his hand to the younger boy. Riku steeled himself, stepping forward, clutching his guitar in his hands. He and Axel swapped places, the red-head whispering to him softly, "I'm right here, babe. You got this. Knock 'em dead!"

Riku looked out over the crowd, blushing slightly and taking a long deep breath to steady his nerves. "Hey guys! Thanks for coming out tonight!" He strummed his guitar absently, several girls cooing in the front row and waving up at him, several boys giving him an evaluative look. Riku hesitated, then glanced over his shoulder at Larxene, the girl beginning to play her instrument, followed by Marluxia, then Axel. He glanced over one last time, meeting his lover's eyes, then let all his tension go and smiled, turning back towards the crowd. He waited until everyone was in sync, then began to play as well, a rocky powerful upbeat sound that quickly had the crowd cheering. The camera's panned by the front of the stage, Riku looking towards one and grinning widely, shouting towards the nearest camera, "Hi Naminé! Hi Sora!"

Elsewhere, glued to the giant television in Axel's living room, Naminé and Sora squealed, hugging one another excitedly. Roxas watched with a grin, looking up at Cloud and Zack who were standing nearby. The older boys chuckled softly, Cloud shaking his head. Reno was standing behind the couch with Vincent and Yuffie, the dark-headed girl clapping excitedly as she watched the television. Tasogare and February sat together on the couch, Kurei beside them with Kairi, the latter two holding hands and leaning against one another comfortably. Zexion and Demyx were on the other end of the couch, the dirty-blonde's arm wrapped around his boyfriend's shoulders. They watched in anticipation as the camera's swept across the stage, showing the band from several different angles, then zoomed in on Riku as he began to sing.

" _I will dedicate,_  
 _And sacrifice my everything for just a second's worth_  
 _Of how my story's ending…_  
 _And I wish I could know if the directions that I take,_  
 _And all the choices that I make won't end up all for nothing…_

" _Show me what it's for, make me understand it!_  
 _I've been crawling in the dark looking for the answer,_  
 _Is there something more than what I've been handed?_  
 _I've been crawling in the dark looking for the answer…_

" _Help me carry on,_  
 _Assure me it's ok to use my heart and not my eyes_  
 _To navigate the darkness…_  
 _Will the ending be ever coming suddenly?_  
 _Will I ever get to see the ending to my story?_

" _Show me what it's for, make me understand it!_  
 _I've been crawling in the dark looking for the answer,_  
 _Is there something more than what I've been handed?_  
 _I've been crawling in the dark looking for the answer_ …"

Axel and Marluxia stepped forward to either side of Riku, the older boys shouting into their microphones, "So when and how will I know?" Axel began ripping out an amazing guitar solo, Riku playing in the background, smiling over at his fiancée and listening to the crowd erupt into frenzied cheering. After a few long rifts, the red-head looked up and met Riku's eyes, smiling and nodding to the younger boy. Riku stepped back up to the mic, reaching out and grabbing it as he sang.

" _How much further do I have to go?_  
 _How much longer until I finally know?_  
 _Because I'm looking and I just can't see what's in front of me…_  
 _In front of me…_

" _Show me what it's for, make me understand it!_  
 _I've been crawling in the dark looking for the answer,_  
 _Is there something more than what I've been handed?_  
 _I've been crawling in the dark looking for the answer_ …" **(2)**

The crowd cheered excitedly, the camera panning over the enthused audience. Back at Axel and Reno's house, their friends were in the midst of similar cheering, rooting for _Chakram_ louder than anyone else who was at the actual concert. Outside of the house, the clouds were swirling darkly, snow beginning to fall. It had been almost a year. Ten long months since they'd all been together in that house with snow on its way. And somehow it felt as if it had only been yesterday.

-x-x-x-

Three hours later the concert ended with a flourishing performance from Riku and Axel, the two boys linking fingers and bowing together, Marluxia and Larxene waving to the crowd from either side of the stage. "Now for the fun part," Axel said, Riku looking up at him curiously, "We get to be mad mobbed by fans for approximately an hour to an hour and a half." He squeezed Riku's hand gently. "And this time, people will be cutting in line to get your autograph too!"

They left the stage, setting their instruments aside and exiting the back way, Larxene patting Riku's shoulder and Marluxia ruffling his hair. "You did great, kid!" the pink-haired boy complemented, "I think this is exactly what we needed to complete our image! There's no other band out there that sounds like us, looks like us, rocks like us…"

Riku laughed, smiling up at the bassist. "It was so much fun! Thank you so much for letting me join the band!"

"Of course!" Larxene said, the blonde girl looking back at them as they walked together towards the lounge. "We wouldn't think about having it any other way…"

When they reached the end of the hallway, screaming fans awaited them, Larxene stepping forward and signing ticket stubs, posters, flyers. Marluxia went to her side, taking a pen from a fan and signing her notebook, the girl thanking him profusely and clutching it to her chest. Axel looked down at Riku, squeezing the boy's hand. Instantly cameras went off, the pale blonde blushing and trying not to stand there like a deer in headlights, more nervous now than he had been on stage. "Hey, this is supposed to be fun, not some cruel form of torture." The red-head said, noticing Riku's hesitance. "We don't have to do this if you don't want to. We can wait for Marl and Larx in the back…"

Riku shook his head, scowling up at the singer. "Don't be ridiculous! I just… I didn't think about practicing my signature before we came…"

Axel laughed, moving to tilt Riku's chin up and kiss him, saying when they parted, "You silly thing, no one gives a damn about how eloquent your signature is! Just squiggle something on whatever they offer you. They know who signed it and that's all that matters! It's all about bragging rights, you know?"

Riku laughed, nodding and turning towards the crowd. Several fans were watching them with expectant eyes, wondering what the two boys were talking about. One boy was snapping pictures furiously, the girls he was standing with laughing hysterically and swatting at him. Riku closed his eyes for a moment, sighing, squeezing Axel's hand. "Alright then," he said, opening his eyes and looking up at his fiancée with a grin, "Let's sign some squiggles!"

They stepped forward, people shoving things into their hands, Riku signing as much as he could within the next hour but the line never seemed to shorten. He stuck around a little bit longer than he would have because one girl started to tear up as they left, Riku reaching out and taking her poster and signing it to her name. She was so enthralled she nearly fainted, her friends fanning her and fussing over her dramatic nature. Axel watched with a smile, Riku really was amazing. He was so concerned, so shy yet so social, and he thought about strangers more than he thought about himself. He eventually had to pull the smaller boy away from the crowd, leaning in and whispering, "Babe, I know you don't want to leave but if we don't go soon we're going to miss our plane…"

Riku nodded, turning to wave, Axel, Marluxia, and Larxene doing the same, before the band-mates left together through the side doors, piling into the limo that was there to drive them to the airport. Their rental cars would be returned by the event staff, and they hadn't really brought any luggage. Once they reached the airport they easily made it through security, signing a couple of random fan's shirts and things as they made their way to the gate. They boarded just in time to hear the announcer say that the snow was starting, but flights were not delayed at this time. They would be updating the weather report regularly, and would keep the passenger's informed of any flight schedule changes. They found their seats in first class, sat back and relaxed, chatting about the concert and their songs and fans, and settled down beneath warm thick blankets that the stewardess brought them to catch a few hours of sleep on the plane ride home. Axel and Riku sat together, the smaller boy resting his head on the red-head's shoulder, quickly falling asleep.

-x-x-x-

When they reached Dashilaw it was snowing large fat snowflakes, the flurry quickly blanketing the city with white. It was pitch black out, the sky dark and the ground white. Riku looked around in wonder, his eyes taking in everything with a mild sense of awe. "It's so beautiful…"

Larxene and Marluxia said goodnight, going to retrieve their car from the parking lot and drive home. Riku and Axel walked hand-in-hand across the snowy pavement to Axel's car, the hummer already covered in a thick layer of snow. Riku climbed inside, Axel turning on the car so that the engine started to warm up, swiping snow from the windshield and headlights with the sleeve of his jacket, his breath making small clouds in the air. Riku watched him sleepily from the passenger's seat. He was going to need some coffee if they were driving home in the dark, otherwise he was going to fall asleep. After a few minutes the red-head climbed into the driver's seat, shuddering and holding his hands in front of the heat pouring out of the vents. "Damn, it's cold!" he looked over at Riku, smiling mischievously, "Do you need some coffee? You look like you're about to pass out over there."

Riku nodded, smiling over at his fiancée, suddenly noticing the look in his lover's eyes. He leaned over, wrapping his arms around Axel's neck, searching his eyes. "Do you need me to warm you up first?"

Axel chuckled, pulling Riku close and kissing him, the younger boy gasping softly against his lips. They kissed gently for a moment before their movements grew more heated, Axel pulling the pale blonde into his lap and grinding their hips together, Riku moaning and kissing him furiously, feeling Axel's hardness pressing against him. They had to pull away for air eventually, Axel's hands roaming up and down Riku's sides, the red-head biting his lip. He met Riku's eyes, searching those teal blue irises for a moment before he asked, "Do you just want to grab a hotel room and spend the night here?"

Riku's heartbeat sped up, catching the hidden meaning in Axel's words. Even if they did drive all the way home, they wouldn't really have any privacy. Everyone was waiting for them to come home, there would be at least half a dozen people there if not more… Blushing, Riku leaned in again, kissing Axel's lips gently. "I'd like that…" he whispered, Axel pulling him close and sneaking one of his hands beneath Riku's shirt, rubbing the small of his back gently. They searched one another's eyes, Riku smiling shyly as Axel's hands traced up his spine, the red-head's eyes heavy with desire.

"Are you sure you're ready?" the red-head asked, "I don't want to rush things for you, if you still want to wait, we can…"

"Shut up and kiss me…" Riku murmured against the older boy's lips, Axel grinning and pulling Riku against his chest, the red-head moving to cup his hand across the backside of his lover's jeans, grinding their hips together over and over. The friction between them slowly built, Riku whimpering and tugging Axel's shirt, gasping and kissing him harder than before. Eventually Axel had to pull away, leaning his head back and taking a couple of deep breaths. The two boys settled into their seats, strapping on their seatbelts and driving carefully out of the snow-laden parking lot to the nearest hotel. Luckily it was right down the street, and had vacancies. They grabbed their backup carryon bags out of the back seat of the Hummer then walked together towards the entrance of the hotel, the interior warm once they stepped into the lobby. Riku stood back a bit, Axel getting them a room for the night, the pale boy's eyes wandering around the lobby and taking in the details of the paintings and plants near the corners of the main hall. Axel was at his side a moment later, taking his hand and leading him towards the elevator, smiling down at him gently. Once the elevator doors were closed they were on one another again, Axel pushing Riku back against the wall roughly and ravishing his mouth with hot kisses, the younger boy whimpering and submitting to the older boy's advances. The door opened behind them a moment later, the two boys quickly making their way to their room, Axel fumbling with the keys for a moment before letting them inside. They tossed down their small bags and stripped off their shoes and jackets, Axel moving to lock the door behind them before turning to look at Riku. The pale boy was busy stripping off his shirt and unbuttoning his jeans, looking over at Axel with fire in his eyes. The older boy shuddered, pulling his shirt up and over his head, tossing it to the floor, taking off his socks and shrugging out of his jeans, watching as Riku did the same. They moved to the bed, Riku sitting down atop the comforter and looking up at Axel, his cheeks flushed and his eyes hazy with need. Axel leaned down, capturing his lips, placing a knee on the bed and pushing forward, lying Riku down against the velvety blankets concealing the soft sheets underneath.

Riku gasped softly, wrapping his arms around Axel's neck and pulling him closer. They'd fooled around before, but it had never been as aggressive as this. He was hesitant to admit it, but he rather liked the forcefulness with which Axel tilted his head to the side and attacked his neck with kisses, Riku writhing beneath him, whimpering softly. Axel pulled away, looking down at him with shining green eyes, Riku looking up at him, panting softly. He reached down and cupped his fiancée's cheek gently, searching Riku's eyes. "Tell me what to do babe, and I'll do it for you. Anything you want."

Riku blushed crimson, searching Axel's eyes. He knew the other boy was serious, and he knew what Axel really wanted, but he was giving Riku the opportunity to ask for something else. Something not so…intense as what Axel really wanted to do to him. He thought about it for a moment, but then realized he wanted what the older boy wanted. He wanted Axel to take him, fully, completely, wholly. He wanted the other boy inside him, pushing into him, making him scream out for more… He reached up, his hands trembling as he pressed them to his fiancée's chest, searching his eyes. "I want you to make love to me, Ax…"

The red-head's breath hitched, the older boy hesitating despite his lover's words. "Are you sure?"

Riku nodded, his heart fluttering wildly in his chest. "Yes, I want you to. I'm ready."

Axel smiled, leaning down and reconnecting their lips gently, kissing Riku long and deep, the boy sighing against his lips when he pulled away. "Alright…but I'm going to need you to help me." He pushed himself off of the bed, going to the bag he had discarded before, retrieving a bottle of lube and a condom.

Riku watched him, giggling softly when he noticed what his fiancée was holding, raising an eyebrow at him. "The lube I understand, but the condom?"

Axel grinned at him sheepishly, "I wasn't sure if you would want one or not. Some guys don't like the feeling of cum inside of them afterwards…"

The younger boy blinked, thinking about it for a moment. He smiled as Axel walked over to him, looking up at the red-head with affection in his eyes. "I think I want to feel it…" He heard Axel's breath hitch, a shudder passing through the red-head's shoulders, "And if for some reason I don't, then next time I'll request a condom, okay?"

"Sounds good to me…" Axel said hoarsely, Riku laughing softly. He was fully aware that it would feel much better for Axel without a condom, but he was very appreciative of the fact that his fiancée was thinking about him above all else. He truly loved Riku with all his heart. He would do anything for the younger boy, even put Riku's pleasure before his own. The older boy gently pulled down the comforter, Riku moving to crawl on top of the sheets beneath, laying back down near the head of the bed and looking up at his lover with want in his eyes. His body was craving the other boy's touch, his boxers tented and barely hiding his rigid arousal. Axel was in much the same state, lying down beside Riku and pressing his hardness against the younger boy's side. He leaned over, kissing Riku's lips gently, the younger boy squirming under him as Axel moved a hand to the edge of his boxers, pulling them down Riku's legs slowly. Riku helped him, kicking them off of his ankles to land somewhere on the floor, turning towards Axel and dipping his fingers in the waistband of the older boy's boxers, tugging at them gently. The red-head lifted his hips, allowing Riku to undress him, the pale blonde shuddering in anticipation when his eyes met his fiancée's cock. It was thick and throbbing, Riku easily picking up on the precum beaded at the tip, reaching out and wrapping his hand around Axel's length. The older boy moaned softly, leaning back against a pillow and watching Riku play with him, the teal-eyed boy glancing up for the bottle of lube Axel had retrieved before. He took it from where it laid near the headboard, squeezing a bit of the slick substance into his palm and moving to wrap his fingers around Axel once more, the other boy crying out softly and closing his eyes, focusing on the pleasure engulfing his arousal. "Riku…"

The younger boy stroked him steadily, thinking about what it would be like to feel Axel inside of him, trembling slightly as his thoughts caused a physical reaction. Axel cracked open one of his eyes to look over at his lover, noticing that Riku had his other hand around his own weeping cock, stroking himself and Axel in time, his face flushed crimson as he pleasured himself. Axel's breath hitched, reaching over and placing his hand around Riku's, the white-blonde opening his eyes and looking over at the red-head, gasping and crying out as Axel moved his own hand against his heated flesh. Riku was tense all over, he could feel it through the muscles in his hand and arm. He was too wound up, too tight; it wouldn't be good for them to do anything now, Riku needed to relax if this was going to work… Axel lifted himself up off of the mattress, gently pushing Riku down and kissing along the boy's neck and chest, pulling the boy's hands away from his body and moving them to rest against the bed. He parted his lover's legs, settling down between them, and wrapped his fingers around Riku's arousal. The younger boy's breath hitched, knowing what was coming, crying out as Axel slowly wrapped his lips around him and began bobbing up and down. "Nn! Not fair!" Riku whined. He never lasted very long when Axel sucked him, it felt too good, and his body was still not used to the intense amount of pleasure the red-head could so easily inflict upon him. "A-Ax! You're gonna make me… _ah_!"

Axel reached up, rubbing the dip of Riku's hip just the way he knew the other boy liked, sucking a bit harder and flexing his throat around the younger boy's arousal. When he felt a hand twisting in his fiery locks he knew his lover was close. He closed his eyes, moving faster, squeezing the inside of Riku's thigh, willing him to cum. The touch seemed to send Riku over the edge, the boy crying out and spurting several times into Axel's waiting mouth, the red-head pulling away after a moment and looking up at his fiancée, a wide grin across his lips.

Riku cracked open an eye, looking down at him with a pout. He was breathing hard, his mind hazy with afterglow, whimpering as Axel moved to kneel between his thighs, reaching up beside the pillows and retrieving the bottle of lube. He coated it across his first two fingers, watching Riku's eyes for signs of discomfort as he reached down between his lover's legs, lifting his hips gently and sliding his fingers along his backside. Riku gasped when Axel's fingers found his entrance, squirming against the sensation of lube being spread against his skin, his body too relaxed for him to really fight back against the strange new sensation.

Gently Axel pushed the tip of his index finger inside, Riku making a soft sound, looking up at Axel with need in his eyes. The red-head's breath caught in his throat, looking down at Riku and biting his lips. _So fucking hot_ … He pushed his finger in a little bit more, the lube doing its job and allowing him access after a few moments of gentle pressure, Axel stretched Riku gently with one finger before adding the second. At that the younger boy did notice a bit of discomfort, but Axel worked his fingers inside of him over and over, stretching his muscles and trying to make him a little less virgin-tight. The sensation eventually began to have a pleasing sensation to Riku, the boy panting softly as Axel continued to prepare him, the pale boy reaching down and brushing his fingers against one of the red-head's thighs. "Axel…" he whimpered, "I think I'm ready…"

The older boy nodded, pulling back his hand and lifting his fiancée's hips a bit more, guiding himself to Riku's entrance and pressing the head of his length against him, searching the younger boy's eyes. "I love you, Riku…" he whispered softly.

The younger boy smiled up at him, whispering in return, "I love you too, Ax…"

The red-head pushed forward slowly, Riku gasping and tensing at the almost painful feeling coursing through his backside and up his spine. Axel hesitated, waiting for the younger boy to adjust, pushing against him gently and pulling back just a bit, then pushing in again. Slowly Riku became used to the sensation, nodding up at Axel, the boy pushing a bit deeper inside and listening to the sounds Riku was making to know when to continue. Eventually he pushed into him the rest of the way, the younger boy crying out and tensing up again, Axel freezing in place and biting his lips. Riku was tensing around him in a way that almost sent him over the edge, but he held himself back, waiting for the younger boy to tell him when it was okay to continue.

Riku exhaled slowly, his body trembling beneath Axel's, the boy looking up at his fiancée and nodding. "I think I'm okay…"

"Alright, I'm going to move now…" Axel said gently, pulling back slowly before pushing in again, Riku's muscles slowly relaxing as the tension between them built again. Then, all of a sudden, Axel hit something inside of him that made him cry out uncontrollably, the boy squirming against the sheets and moving his hips up to meet his fiancée's next thrust. Knowing that he'd found Riku's sweet spot, the older boy smiled, moving into Riku a bit harder than before, the smaller boy crying out again and fisting his hands in the sheets.

"Ah! Axel! Hnn…" Riku lifted one of his hands, pressing the back of it against his mouth, panting uncontrollably. " _Ah!_ Oh god…"

Axel looked down at Riku with half-lidded eyes, the fire inside him slowly rising, his ears drinking in the beautiful sounds his fiancée was making. "Yeah, babe. Moan for me…"

Riku twisted his head to the side, crying out again, his back arching and his legs trembling as he was assaulted with pleasure unlike anything he had ever felt before. It was mind blowing, numbing, intoxicating… He could feel something churning inside of him, his arousal dripping precum, his spine tingling with lightning. "Ax… Ax… Please, oh god yes…"

The older boy's breath hitched, thrusting into Riku harder, lifting his hips and angling himself so that every time he moved he rubbed against the younger boy's sweet spot, the two boys quickly climbing to their peaks together. "You getting close, babe?" The red head panted, the boy beneath him crying out and clenching his eyes shut, tears forming along his lashes.

"Ah! Ax! I'm not going to last much longer…"

The red-head dipped down, moving so he could tilt Riku's chin up and kiss him hotly, continuously slamming their hips together, pushing inside deep and fast and hard… He waited until he felt Riku tensing around him in an unmistakable way, then allowed himself to release, the two boys crying out and cumming together, their voices singing in harmony. Axel collapsed on top of Riku, a panting sweaty mess, the younger boy whimpering and wrapping his arms around his fiancée's shoulders, his hands stroking along his back gently. They lay there, holding one another, before eventually Axel moved to pull out of the boy, looking down at him with a blush. Riku was covered from head to toe in sweat and various sticky liquids, the red-head shuddering and committing the image to memory. He leaned in, kissing Riku's lips gently, the boy making a soft sound of contentment and sighing against his lips. "Love you…" the older boy whispered, his fiancée looking up at him with shining eyes.

"I love you too…"

-x-x-x-

They arrived at Axel's house before noon the next day, their friends more than excited to see them. Axel couldn't help but blush when Reno asked him where he had been, stuttering about it snowing too hard for him to see to drive home. The older boy grinned at his little brother, nodding his head and giving him a knowing look. Axel glared at him, but Reno didn't torture him about it further. Cloud's phone rang after a while, the blonde getting up from the couch and walking towards the kitchen, talking softly to whoever it was on the other end of the line. He returned to everyone a few minutes later, looking between Naminé and Riku. "Alright, mom and dad are on their way. We're going to have dinner at the house, so let's head over and start making some food."

They said goodbye to their friends, Cloud and Zack getting into their car, while Axel, Riku, Naminé, and February rode in the Hummer. Riku turned to look back at the two girls, his sister fidgeting nervously. February was holding her hand, tracing her fingers gently. "It'll be alright, love. No matter what happens, I'm here for you."

Naminé nodded, looking up at the other girl. "I just don't want them to hate you…or me…"

"Ditto to that," Axel said, looking back at them in the rearview mirror. "Riku still hasn't told them we're engaged. I'm afraid this dinner is going to end up being something off of a reality TV show…"

Riku sighed, shaking his head and saying, "Don't jinx us! Who knows, maybe they'll just be happy for all of us and that will be that!"

Axel gave him a skeptical look, remembering the way Riku's father had looked at him in the hospital after the eye surgery. His mother had seemed happy, but his father… Axel sighed, turning down the street and following after Zack's viper, listening to his fiancée's words of encouragement to Naminé. The girl seemed to accept her brother's words, but was still rather worried, February smiling at her reassuringly.

They pulled into the driveway of Riku's house a few minutes later, parking next to Zack's car and sitting there for a moment in silence. The girls exchanged a soft kiss before getting out of the car, Axel and Riku following after them, Cloud and Zack watching their approach. "Zack and I will start making dinner. If you guys will set the table and straighten up the house that would be helpful. The girls are going to go get some flowers for mom."

Naminé nodded, taking February's hand and saying as they walked off down the street, "Our neighbor has the prettiest flower garden, I'm sure she'll let us make a bouquet."

"Sounds good to me," Axel said, looking down at Riku, the boy nodding.

Over the next couple of hours Axel helped Riku vacuum, dust, set out the tableware. Zack and Cloud were busy in the kitchen making salad, chicken and pasta, veggies, and an apple pie for desert. The girls eventually returned with a giant bouquet of flowers, separating it out into smaller vases and placing them around the living room, kitchen, and dining room. The house looked lovely, and the food smelt great. The younger couples sat around the living room while the older boys finished the final touches on dinner.

There was a knock at the door. Riku jumped up, Axel watching him walk across the living room and open the door, a tall blonde woman wrapping her arms around him and hugging him tightly. "Hello dear! How are you?"

"Good…" Riku said, smiling up at his mother. He searched her eyes, taking in the details of her face, her hair, the necklace wrapped delicately around her neck. He looked over her shoulder, catching sight of his father. The man didn't look very happy, but he didn't look angry either. He held the air of someone who was out of place, sort of lost.

He glanced up at his mother questioningly, but she just smiled at him and touched a finger to his nose. "And where is Axel? I heard that you two put on quite the show at your concert last night! It was all over the radio this morning!"

Riku blushed lightly, allowing his mother to walk past him into the house, the woman walking over and hugging Axel as well, then turning to hug her daughter. Naminé smiled up at her, laughing softly, "Hello mother! You're looking lovely, as usual."

The woman beamed down at her, "You're such a sweet girl! I did just have my hair done the other day." She reached up and tossed her hair over her shoulder, Naminé giggling and smiling up at her.

Riku turned when his father moved towards him, meeting eyes with the man, his dark-blonde hair showing a hint of grey. "Hello son. How's life treating you?"

The boy smiled up at his father, nodding and saying, "Pretty good, actually." He moved back, saying, "Come inside. There's something I wanted to talk to you and mom about."

The man nodded, stepping into the house, Riku shutting the door behind him and walking over to his fiancée, who was chatting with his mother, laughing at something the woman had said. She turned to look back at her husband and youngest son, sniffing the air and saying, "If I didn't know any better, I would say someone's baking an apple pie! But I know Cloud's incapable of baking anything…"

"I heard that!" Cloud said as he walked in from the kitchen, setting down several bowls on the dining room table and beckoning them over. "Come sit down so we can eat! Zack's getting the pie out of the oven to cool off for desert!"

Riku heard his father sigh, glancing up at him. The man's eyes didn't hold any malice, just quiet contemplation. Nervously he looked over at Axel, the red-head catching his eyes. Maybe Axel was right. Maybe this was all about to go terribly wrong… Riku's mother took Naminé's hand and walked with her towards the dining room, smiling back at the other girl watching them, "Come along, February. Sit with us and let's chat a bit."

The white-haired girl nodded, her pale blue eyes smiling at the woman's words. She followed after them, sitting beside them at the table. The woman called for her husband, the man going to sit at her other side, Riku and Axel hanging back for a moment, turning to one another while Riku's parents were distracted. Riku searched his fiancée's eyes, anxiety washing over him. "Are you sure we should tell them now? I mean, I haven't seen them in months…"

"It's up to you, Riku." Axel said softly, "But I think the longer we wait the harder it will be to tell them in the end."

Riku nodded, taking Axel's hand and letting out a shaky breath, then walking with his fiancée into the dining room, his mother glancing over at him and noticing their linked hands. She tilted her head, smiling at him softly, then patted her husband's leg. "I think Riku has something that he would like to say."

Cloud and Zack took their seats, setting down the apple pie in the middle of the table beside the beautiful bouquet of flowers Naminé and February had picked earlier. The man looked up, noticing their hands as well, sighing and crossing his arms over his chest. Riku hesitated, trying to find the words to say, but then turned to Axel, searching his eyes. The older boy smiled, squeezing his fiancée's hand, and spoke up first. "I'm sorry we didn't tell you sooner, but I have asked Riku to marry me."

Riku's mother seemed genuinely shocked, covering her mouth with her hand and looking over at her youngest son as if waiting for confirmation. Riku swallowed down his nervousness then held out his hand, showing her his ring. "I said yes." He added softly. "I love Axel very much, and I want to be with him for the rest of my life." He looked between his mother and father, waiting to see what they would say.

His mother eventually lowered her hand, her eyes glassy with tears, and said, "Riku… I am so happy for you!" She got up from the table, walking around to her son, reaching out and hugging him, taking his hand and admiring his ring. "It's simply beautiful!" She looked over at Axel, nodding to him. "I think you've made an excellent decision."

Riku's father was quiet as he watched his wife and youngest son embrace, looking over at the red-head standing beside him. He sighed, then lowered his arms, saying, "I thought as much. Your mother doesn't really pay too much attention, but I had heard rumors circulating about you two being engaged for quite some time now."

Riku looked over at his father, reaching back and taking Axel's hand, looking up at the older boy before glancing back at his father. "We weren't trying to hide anything, really…"

"You just waited almost a year to tell your own mother and father that you were engaged?" the man stood up from the table as well, walking around it and stepping into the living room, rubbing at his forehead as if fighting off a massive headache. Riku watched him worriedly, glancing up at his mother.

She smiled at him, patting his shoulder. "It's alright, just give him some time."

"And what about us?" Cloud said, standing up and looking out across the table to their mother. "You have to know by now that Zack and I have been living together. Is he ever going to accept us? Is he ever going to accept Riku and Axel? Or is it going to be like this every time we have a family gathering…" Zack reached over, touching his boyfriend's arm comfortingly.

At the other end of the table, Naminé lifted her hands to cover her face, February reaching over and cupping her shoulder gently, "It's alright, Naminé…"

"No it's not!" the girl said, looking over at her girlfriend with tears in her eyes. "I knew this would happen! If daddy won't accept Cloud or Riku then how is he ever going to accept me?"

At this her mother turned to look at her, saying in confusion, "Naminé, dear, whatever do you mean? Of course your father…"

"I'm with February, mom!" She said, tears pouring down her cheeks, "We're not just friends, we're dating! And you and I both know he can't stand gay couples…"

The front door slammed a moment later, startling all of them. The tall blonde woman sighed, shaking her head and crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm sorry, everyone. He's just set in his ways about some things." She smiled softly, almost sadly. "That's why we've decided to finalize the divorce, and are selling the house." She looked up, her eyes moving from Riku to Cloud to Naminé, taking in her children's expressions. "I'm sorry, dears. It hasn't been working with us for a while now. We've tried to make it through, but I think that this is something your father may never recover from. I'm sorry that you had to witness that little display."

"You're getting a divorce?" Naminé asked softly.

"You're selling the house? But…" Cloud sighed, shaking his head and sitting back down. "That's how you paid of Naminé's medical bills, isn't it?"

The woman smiled over at her eldest son, nodding solemnly. "Yes, Cloud. We both agreed that if we were going to end things we were going to make sure the three of you had completely blank slates. No debt, no payments to make on anything, none of our loose ends to tie up."

"Mom…" Naminé said, the woman walking over to her daughter and leaning down to hug her, the girl wrapping her arms around her waist and crying against her tummy. February watched her girlfriend with sad eyes, glancing up at the woman standing beside them.

The woman smiled at her, reaching out to touch her cheek. "Welcome to the family, dear. Broken as it may be, I hope you are happy here."

February smiled up at her, nodding. "Naminé makes me very happy." She reached over and squeezed the albino girl's hand. "And I hope that I make her happy too."

Zack smiled, leaning back in his chair, watching the blonde woman with soft eyes. "Sit down and eat with us. Cloud told me that apple pie is your favorite."

The woman smiled over at him, nodding and sitting down again. Riku and Axel sat down as well, the three couples and the blonde woman saying grace before beginning to eat. They thanked the heavens for their friendship, and their family, and for the love they shared. And to whatever god may or may not be listening, they gave thanks for what they had. It was the end of a journey that they had shared together; the trials they had endured, the hardships they had conquered, and the unseen emotions that had at times overwhelmed them, but that now warmed their hearts.

They were cheerful, and content, and would live out the rest of their lives together in happiness and love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1) Honey and the Bee by Owl City
> 
> (2) Crawling in the Dark by Hoobastank
> 
> Thanks so much for reading! Hope you enjoyed!

**Author's Note:**

> Original Run: Published: Jul 1, 2007 - Completed: Sep 9, 2012


End file.
